January 10, 2010

Page 1

The Mountain Press ■ Sevier County’s Daily Newspaper ■ Vol. 26, No. 10 ■ January 10, 2010 ■ www.themountainpress.com ■ $1.25

Sunday

Tough decisions ahead

INSIDE

5A league of their own Family enjoys time participating in Pokémon league Mountain life, Page B1

5Manning makes history Peyton gets unprecedented 4th MVP award Sports, Page A8

World

Suicide attack investigated Video links Pakistan Taliban to deadly CIA bombing Page A5

Weather Today Partly Cloudy High: 29°

Tonight Partly Cloudy Low: 12° DETAILS, Page A6

Obituaries Hobert Kerr, 87 Elizabeth Kuncitis, 58 Jerry Rolen, 69 Delmar Ogle, 68 DETAILS, Page A4

Index Local & State . . . . . A1-6 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . A2 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . A8-10 Classifieds . . . . . . . . B4-5

Budget cuts top concern of legislators By DEREK HODGES Staff Writer NASHVILLE — When Tennessee’s lawmakers go into regular session in just a couple weeks, it seems the consensus is they’ll do so with shears in their hands. Among all three of Sevier County’s General Assembly representatives, the unanimous vote for the top issue of the coming legislative year is, obviously, the budget. And, with a $1 billion – that’s right, with a “B” – deficit projected, the trio is prepared to join with others in the Capitol in making some serious cuts. “The budget, without question, will be the biggest issue in the regular session,” State Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, says. “It’s going to be an ugly year and there are going to be a lot of cuts made.” State Rep. Richard Montgomery, R-Sevierville agrees. “It’s going to be a year when we’ll have to tighten the belts and do some serious cutting,” Montgomery says. “It’s not going to be easy. There will probably be some painful cuts that have to be made. We’re going to have to go through every department line by line. We’re just going to have to be sure we do the cutting we need while preserving those critical services that the people of Tennessee rely on.” State leaders already made some serious cuts last year as they faced a smaller but still monumental budget shortfall. With spending down across the country, tax collections have faltered and that has meant less revenue coming into state coffers over the past couple years. Still, Montgomery points out the state isn’t as bad off as others. “Some of those other states would be ticked to death to have a $1 billion shortfall, as unbelievable as that sounds,” he says. “We could always be more conservative, but I think the state has done well and we’re in better shape than probably 75 percent of the states. We haven’t done as much borrowing and deficit spending.” McCord likewise praised the state’s relative fiscal responsibility, adding that he’s pleased lawmakers have already come to

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

The Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, celebrating its 150th birthday, will see legislators back in session this week. terms with needing to make cuts, rather than borrowing to meet the deficit. “One thing I’m proud of is we are accepting the facts as they are. I think there’s no choice but to admit there is a problem and live within our parameters, and I think our legislators have done that.” The two representatives and State Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, all agree the discussion about bridging the budget gap won’t include the specter of an income tax. Further, they believe the talks won’t get far into raising other taxes or fees. “The governor has promised we won’t have major tax increases this year and I agree with him on that. This isn’t the year to be raising taxes on folks,” Overbey says. “I think everyone expects government to live within its means, just like a family, and that means making ends meet and making do with the resources you have.” Though all three men agree the money will come from cuts, none of them yet has any information on specifically which departments will be losing money and, likely, employees. One area that certainly won’t be getting cuts is education, where state leaders appear poised to possibly invest more in the hopes those dollars will multiply. Special session In that interest, Gov. Phil Bredesen, D-Tenn., has called a special session of the Legislature set to start Tuesday, with See budget, Page A3

AP Photo/John Russell

State Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, shown at a legislative hearing, says he agrees with Gov. Phil Bredesen that no new taxes should be imposed on residents of the state.

Two local seats up for grabs in House; Montgomery plans to seek re-election By DEREK HODGES Staff Writer NASHVILLE — With an important statewide redistricting coming up next year and, along with it, the potential to shape the future of politics in Tennessee, Sevier County’s Nashville Republican representatives believe their party can hold onto or even expand its slim majority in the General Assembly. If that’s the case, it See seats, Page A3

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, left, talks with Rep. Mike McDonald, D-Portland, during a session of the House of Representatives. McCord thinks the state budget will be the biggest issue facing lawmakers this year.

Locals venture out into the cold, test roadways

Corrections The Mountain Press is committed to accuracy. Please report factual errors by calling 428-0748 Ext. 214.

By Ellen Brown Staff Writer

Ellen Brown/The Mountain Press

Jim and Martha Norton braved the snow and ice to get groceries.

Although there was still snow and ice throughout Sevier County on Saturday, many people braved the roads to get to work or to do errands. Jeremy Hurst, 17, lives off of Sevierville Pike in Seymour, which he reported as “slick.” “I just drove slowly, like my mom told me to do,” he said of driving to Food City

for his job. warm,” Jim Grocery said with a shopping laugh. was the “We’re first time lucky,” out in sevsaid fellow eral days Seymour for Jim resident and Martha K e n n y Hurst Loveday Morton of Loveday. Seymour, “Our drivewho are retired. way is steep, but we live “We’ve been staying on Dupont Road, right busy inside, and we’ve down from the volunteer been rushing from room to room faster to keep See locals, Page A4

A2 â—† Local

The Mountain Press â—† Sunday, January 10, 2010

community calendar Editor’s Note: The community calendar is printed as space permits. Only noncommercial, public events held in Sevier County will be considered. They are listed by date. To place an item phone 428-0748, ext. 214, or e-mail to editor@themountainpress.com. Items may be faxed to 453-4913.

sunday, jan. 10 Boyds Creek Revival

Boyds Creek Church of God winter revival 11:30 a.m. Bishop G.R. Hill from Cleveland to speak.

Right to Life March

Sevier County Right to Life memorial march leaves Pigeon Forge Community Center at 1:45 p.m. for Country Tonite Theater. Sanctity of Life program begins 2:45 p.m. in theater.

monday, jan. 11 GateKeepers

GateKeepers men’s community Bible study, 6:30 p.m., 2445 Scenic Mt. Drive, Sevierville. (865) 310-7831.

Women’s Bible Study

Garlands of Grace women’s Bible study: n 10 a.m. Seymour Heights Christian Church (enter last door on right), Chapman at Boyds Creek Highway. n 1 p.m., Gatlinburg Inn

Cancer Support Group

Smoky Mountain Cancer Support Group meets at Senior Center. Supper 6 p.m., program 6:45 by Barbara Edwards on stress. 428-5834 or 654-9280.

DAR

DAR Spencer Clack Chapter meets 7 p.m., Sevier County Library. Program on history of silver by Carrie Murphy.

Angel Food

Angel Food orders: n 2 to 5 p.m. Gum Stand Baptist Church, 3031 Veterans Blvd., Pigeon Forge. 429-2508. n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 9081245. n 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., River Of Life Outreach, 110 Simmons Road, Seymour. 679-6796.

a.m., Seymour Library. Guest readers for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. 573-0728.

Preschool story time 10:30 a.m., Sevier County Main Library. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday guest readers. 453-3532.

S.I.T.

Seniors In Touch (S.I.T.) meets 6 to 7:30 p.m. at MountainBrook Village, 700 Markhill Drive, Sevierville. 428-2445.

thursday, jan. 14 Women’s Bible Study

Alzheimer’s Support

Alzheimer’s Support group at MountainBrook Village meets from 5-6 p.m. Program by Bobby Fields of Alzheimer’s Association. 428-2445, ext. 107.

GateKeepers

GateKeepers men’s Bible study, 6:30 p.m. 1328 Old Newport Highway, Sevierville. 908-0591.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Choir will practice 6-8 p.m. today and Friday in ConnerShort Building, Walters State Community College. Interested singers welcome.

Angel Food orders: n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gum Stand Baptist Church, 3031 Veterans Blvd., Pigeon Forge. 429-2508. n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 9081245. n 6 to 7:30 p.m. Basic Life Ministries, formerly The Father’s House, 139 Bruce Street. 286-9784 or 230-1526.

Hot Meals

Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries provides hot meals 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Sevierville.

TOPS

TOPS weight loss chapter meets at 6 p.m., Parkway Church of God in Sevierville. 755-9517 or 429-3150.

wednesday, jan. 13 Garden Club

Angel Food

Sevierville Garden Club will meet at noon at Sevier Senior Center. Lunch served. Tom Leonard, manager of Sevier Solid Waste Inc., to speak on recycling. Board meeting at 11.

Angel Food

Angel Food Orders n 5 to 6:30 p.m., River Of Life Outreach, 110 Simmons Road, Seymour. 679-6796.

Middle Creek UMC

Worship services at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Creek

Garlands of Grace women’s Bible study: n 9 a.m., Pigeon Forge UMC n 2 p.m., Blue Mountain Mist B&B, Pullen Road, Sevierville n 6:30 p.m., Sevierville UMC, Conference Room

Community Choir

Angel Food

Angel Food orders: n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gum Stand Baptist Church, 3031 Veterans Blvd., Pigeon Forge. 4292508. n 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., First Smoky Mountain Church of the Nazarene, 2652 Upper Middle Creek Road. 9081245.

Blood Drives

n 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sevierville Primary School, 1146 Blanton Drive n 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seymour Middle School, 737 Boyds Creek Highway

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Sunday, January 10, 2010 â—† The Mountain Press

City to move ahead on marketing contracts By DEREK HODGES Staff Writer PIGEON FORGE — After a heated debate about the city’s contracts with its two tourism marketing firms in a workshop last week, officials are set to forge ahead on those deals when they meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in City Hall despite concerns from one city leader. Commissioner Randal Robinson has objected to holding the vote on the contracts with BOHAN Advertising and USDM, an Internet marketing company, saying he believes the commission is “rushing� into the move.

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effort had been made to address his concerns. Robinson was the only one of the five commissioners who objected to the board’s moving ahead with a vote on the contracts. “I can’t honestly say I’m satisfied with any of this,� he said, though everyone else agreed they were ready to proceed. Department of Tourism Director Leon Downey assured Robinson he is willing to answer questions about the contracts at any time. He also promised he will seek qualifications and proposals from other marketing firms if the City Commission agrees they want him to do

cuit court. She was being held. u Fred Daniel Ledford, 30, of 984 Goose Gap Rd., Lot 2, Sevierville, was charged Jan. 8 by criminal summons for shoplifting less than $100, first offense. He was released. u Quinnten Kalab Lindley, 21, of 1401 Old Newport Highway was charged Jan. 8 by criminal summons for theft of property. He was released. u Monica D. McMahan,

24, of 1210 Pin Oak Dr. Apt. 30, Sevierville, was charged Jan. 8 with general theft. She was released. u Stanley Dewayne Myers, 44, of 1417 Little Cove Church Rd., Sevierville, was charged Jan. 8 with driving while revoked, traffic violations and financial responsibility law. He was released. u Ravon Jamal Silva, 22, of Morristown, was charged Jan. 8 with driving on suspended license.

seats

that would be fair to him and I don’t think it would be fair to the county.� While acknowledging the importance of his party keeping a majority in the General Assembly after the upcoming election, State Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, says he hasn’t yet made up his mind about running again. “Right now I’m focused on getting all the legislation introduced that I need to for the people of my district,� McCord says. “After March or April I’ll have some time to sit down and think about reelection.� State Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, doesn’t have to run for reelection until 2012, having just won his four-year term in 2008. However, several of his Senate colleagues

will have to campaign this year. “I don’t see the numbers changing in the Senate, where the Republicans have a 19 to 14 majority,� Overbey says. “The House is really where the action is going to be in the 2010 elections. I think we could see some changes there.� Overbey suggests there might be Democrats holding seats in traditionally Republican districts or Republicans representing left-leaning areas who could be unseated. Beyond that, he believes the state may continue a move it made in 2008. “In that election we saw the nation move to the left in the votes for the president and the Congress, but Tennessee bucked that trend and went

even more to the right,� Overbey explains. “I think Tennessee is a conservative state and we could see it moving further that way this year.� Overbey isn’t the only local Republican optimistic about the coming vote. McCord believes his party will hold the majority and use that power to redraw the political map in such a way that it helps keep the state mostly red for years to come. Meanwhile, Montgomery has even bigger ideas. “I think we will at least hold the majority and we might even expand it,� he says. “I think there is the real possibility we could pick up as many as three additional seats.�

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could give the GOP its first chance at drawing up the state’s political map in more than a century and a half, with Democrats holding the majority for all that time previously. Though both parties take part in such redistrictings, the majority side obviously has more power in any issue that comes to a vote. Republicans are gunning to maintain or grow their presence in the Capitol, holding a narrow one-vote majority between the two houses of the General Assembly. Among the three who represent Sevier County — and all three of the local representatives are Republicans — two are currently filling seats that will be up for election at the end of this year. State Rep. Richard Montgomery, R-Sevierville, says he’s already made up his mind to seek another term, giving the credit for that decision to the upcoming redistricting. “I am going to be running for re-election, but after that I’ll have to reevaluate if I want to run again at the end of that term,� Montgomery said. “I don’t want to be sending a freshman representative down there to Nashville to do this redistricting. I don’t think

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u Brannon James Hall, 36, of 3009 Amanda Dr., Kodak, was charged Jan. 9 with domestic violence assault. He was being held on $2,500 bond. u Tyler Higginbotham, 18, of 2559 Roberts Rd., Kodak, was charged Jan. 9 with underage consumption of alcohol. He was being held on $1,000 bond. u Kelly Ann Jones, 28, of 615 River Rd., Kodak, was charged Jan. 8 with violation of probation from cir-

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(low-density residential) to C-2 (tourist commercial) n An agreement with Vision Engineering for survey work at the new fire station site on Veterans Boulevard n A request to purchase items to upgrade the Jake Thomas Lift Station pump n Reappointing Police Chief Jack Baldwin to serve as a member of the E-911 Board of Directors n Appointment of Commissioner David Wear to the Sevier County Economic Development Council Board of Directors.

Editor’s Note: The following information was taken from the intake reports at the Sevier County Jail. All people listed within this report are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. u Kathy Michelle Bunch, 36, of 3180 Hickory Dr. #310, Pigeon Forge, was charged Jan. 9 with domestic violence assault. She was being held on $2,500 bond.

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that. On the agenda for the Monday session is consideration of a general services agreement and scope of work for USDM’s Internet efforts for the city. Additionally, a new letter of agreement, scope of work and media plan for BOHAN will be voted on. Also on the agenda for the meeting is: n Proclaiming March 15 Arbor Day in the city n Review and consideration of an option agreement with Cindy Owens as trustee for Ogle Credit Shelter Trust regarding the purchase of right of way and the rezoning of property from R-1

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the regular session opening a week after that. The focus of that meeting will be implementing new testing standards for students across the state that might qualify the state for a new federal program called “Race to the Top.� That effort, implemented by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, offers money to states that, among other things, hold students to higher standards for expected educational progress. “The governor is putting education front and center by calling us into a special session next week to discuss this Race to the Top program,� Overbey says. “We’re going to be looking at possibly changing test standards to bring a different level of accountability for students and teacher across the state. We might possibly also make some changes to higher education funding that could help us out with that.� It’s not clear yet what changes might need to be made, with legislators set to hold a number of committee meetings throughout the week to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Montgomery is optimistic there won’t be too many changes that need to be made. “We in Tennessee have done a good job of investing in education and building a good framework for education, so I think we’re probably in a better place to qualify for these dollars than a lot of other states,� he says. “There will only be a limited amount of money and a few states that get it, as I understand it, so we’re really going to be pushing for that.� Beyond that, Overbey says Bredesen announced during a recent Blount County Chamber of Commerce meeting that he wants to see a new school of energy and engineering opened somewhere in East Tennessee as part of a partnership between the University of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge. “I think that will be something to build on the university’s reputation as a top-tier research school,� Overbey says. Local issues So far there haven’t been too many Sevier County folks

contacting their lawmakers about changes they’d like to see, apparently. Overbey says he hasn’t received any calls seeking local bills, while McCord and Montgomery seem to have both gotten only one call about the same issue. “Kenny Maples called me to let me know he and some of the other hotel owners up there in Sevier County are concerned about a move that would put a tax on the continental breakfasts they serve at their places,� Montgomery says. “They don’t think that’s fair because that would be like taxing that breakfast twice, so they’re asking that we fight that.� Other issues All three men also mentioned some changes they hope to make to a piece of workers compensation legislation passed during their 2009 session. Apparently, with some force behind the proposed amendments to the laws governing that insurance program, the bill was pushed through before many in the General Assembly truly understood its possible implications. Since then, it has apparently come to light that the move would require small business owners to carry workers compensation coverage on themselves, even if they don’t actually work on-site. “That’s something that we didn’t realize was in there and certainly we think that’s an unnecessary hardship to put on our small business owners,� McCord says. “We’re going to be looking at changing that law to fix that.� Montgomery also hopes the legislators will get into at least some discussion of criminal penalties, perhaps substituting community service for jail time for lesser crimes while strengthening the punishments for DUI offenders and some others. Additionally, he says he expects to see some issues related to healthcare arise if the Democrats are able to pass their national reform bill.

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budget

Robinson has made objecting to the city’s tourism marketing contracts the cornerstone of his young tenure on the board, questioning them at every turn. His concerns in part prompted the marathon three-and-a-half hour workshop session. During that meeting, Robinson continued to hammer at the city’s agreements with the two firms, questioning everything from how detailed their invoices should be to whether the contract with BOHAN was still legally binding. At the end, city leaders said they had done everything they could to reassure Robinson the deals were in the city’s best interests, while Robinson maintained no

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A4 â—† Local

The Mountain Press â—† Sunday, January 10, 2010

obituaries In Memoriam

Hobert Kenneth “John� Kerr

Hobert Kenneth “John� Kerr, age 87 of Sevierville, went to be with the Lord on Friday, January 8, 2010. John was a very loving brother, uncle, and friend. John had lots of friends and he loved all of them. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mack and Nora Kerr, sisters, Anah Lewelling and husband Kenneth and Lois Campbell, brothers, Conley, McKinley, and W.C. Kerr and wife Velma, sister-inlaw, Deloris Kerr, brothers-in-law, Ralph Flynn and Kenneth Loveday. Survivors: sisters, Helen Flynn, Francis Loveday; srothers, Mayford and wife Helen, Ernest and wife Ruby, and Raymond Kerr; brother-in-law, Brownie Campbell and wife Christine; several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews; special friends, Claude England and Gene Abbott. Special thanks to all the staff at Sevier County Healthcare Center and the staff of Caris Hospice. The family would also like to thank all of John’s friends for their many prayers and visits. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Millican Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 1559 Allensville Rd., Sevierville, TN 37876 Funeral service 5 p.m. Sunday in the East Chapel of Atchley Funeral Home with Rev. David Wilson officiating. Interment 11 a.m. Monday in Millican Grove Cemetery. Nephews and great nephews will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville. n www.atchleyfuneralhome.com

In Memoriam

Jerry Lee Rolen

Jerry Lee Rolen, Sr. age 69, of Knoxville, passed away Friday, January 8, 2010 at St. Mary’s North Hospital. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Rolen and parents, Roy and Ruby Rolen Survivors: wife, Katie Rolen; children, Malisa Gail Kontour, Sandra M. Rolen Mackey and husband Tracy, and Jerry L. Rolen, Jr. and wife Rita; 11 grandchildren; brothers and sister-in-law, Mike and Faye Rolen and Paul Rolen; sisters and brother-inlaw, Betty O’Neal, Geneva and Murrell Parton, and Mary Kate Webb. Funeral service 1 p.m. Monday in the East Chapel of Atchley Funeral Home with Brother John Daniels officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Cemetery. The family will receive friends 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville. n www.atchleyfuneralhome.com

Delmar Arthur Ogle Delmar Arthur Ogle, 68, of Sevierville, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Naomi Ogle; and brothers, Bob and Don Ray Ogle. Survivors: children Scott Ogle, Rick Ogle, Mike Ogle, Jessica Ogle; grandchildren Alex, Bryce, Anna, Trent, Paige, Ashley; sisters and brothers-in-law Shirley and Bill Huskey, Linda Carol and Scotty Chaney; brothers

and sisters-in-law Roy and Pam Ogle, Roger and Cathy Ogle; sisters-in-law Brenda Ogle, Donna Ogle; several nieces and nephews; special friends Vea Ogle, Mattie. Funeral service 3 p.m. Sunday in the West Chapel of Atchley Funeral Home with Revs. Ronnie Reagan, David Huskey and David Ayers officiating. Family and friends will meet 11 a.m. Monday in Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens for graveside service and interment. The family will receive friends 1-3 p.m. Sunday at Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville.

In Memoriam

Elizabeth Kuncitis

Elizabeth Kuncitis, age 53, of Sevierville, passed away on Friday, January 8, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville, TN. She will be remembered for her caring and vibrant personality. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Frank and Apolonia Hermann and Edward and Lydia Kuncitis, and uncle Zigfred Simonsons. Survivors include her parents, Edgars and Anna Kuncitis of Sevierville; a brother, Edgar Kuncitis of Sevierville; uncles, Lorenz Hermann of Knoxville and Stephan and wife Margret Hermann; aunt Zigrida Simonsons; cousins, Michelle and husband Doug Kurry and their children, Kaitlyn and Jaclyn; Dogmar and Stanley Salkewiezc; and the Steins family. A private committal service will be conducted in the Hamblen Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Relay For Life. Arrangements are by Stubblefield Funeral Home.

locals

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fire department (if we need them).â€? People even traveled into Sevierville from other areas in the Southeast for a PokĂŠmon card tournament, held at First United Methodist Church on Cedar Street. “We have 29 people here today, which is half of what we had last year,â€? said tournament organizer Keith Haas. The snow is expected to slow down a great deal, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown. In Sevier County’s higher elevations, only “a few flurriesâ€? were expected for Saturday night. Meteorologist Mary Black said a wind chill advisory was in effect through 10 a.m. today. The rest of the day is expected to be partly sunny with temperatures at 15-20 degrees. Tonight’s forecast is partly cloudy with temperatures at 5-15 degrees. For the lower elevations, today is expected to be partly sunny with temperatures in the upper 20s and dry. Tonight can expect partly cloudiness with light winds and temperatures of 10-15 degrees. Predictions for Monday are mostly sunny in the mid-30s in the lower elevations, and mostly sunny with highs in the upper-20s to mid-30s for the higher elevations. n ebrown@themountainpress.com

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NASHVILLE (AP) — A GOP contender for Tennessee governor will face no penalty for violating a state law during a recent duck hunting trip to western Tennessee. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam ran afoul of the state law by failing to buy the right license for a Dec. 28 trip with his son and friends in Dyer County. “I just messed up,� said Haslam, an infrequent hunter.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported that Haslam went to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Web site to purchase the basic Tennessee hunting and fishing license that costs $27. Instead, Haslam bought other permits he did not need, according to Haslam’s account and TWRA records reviewed by the agency’s assistant commissioner, Nat Johnson.

UT considered a good value From Submitted Reports KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee provides students one of the best values in public education, according to the latest rankings from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. The magazine’s annual “100 Best Values in Public Colleges� ranks American colleges based on academic quality and affordability. The Best Values program this year evaluated 120 public colleges and universities. UT was the only Tennessee public university to make the top 100, placing 58th overall, up six spots from

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NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee lawmaker is considering pushing a partial amnesty for drivers with unpaid traffic violations and setting up a program to allow people to work off the debt. State Rep. Brenda Gilmore told The Tennessean that some people don’t have the funds to pay all they owe. Gilmore, D-Nashville, is working on a bill for legislative consideration that would help establish a statewide amnesty program. The Tennessean reports that some drivers have amassed significant debts to Davidson County from traffic violations. A group of 10 drivers owes the county $118,638 for a total of 247 unpaid violations.

GOP candidate to face no penalty over hunting foul

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Sunday, January 10, 2010 â—† The Mountain Press

Video links Pakistan Taliban to deadly CIA bombing

AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File

Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., second from left,and others, listen to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Md., center right, speak during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 31, 2009 . From left, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., Becerra, D-Calif., Hoyer, and House Majority Whip James Clyburn of S.C.

Govt. health insurance option appears doomed By DAVID ESPO AP Special Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior House Democrats have largely abandoned hopes of including a government-run insurance option in the final compromise health care bill taking shape, according to several officials, and are pushing for other measures to rein in private insurers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats told President Barack Obama in recent meetings they want the legislation to strip the insurance industry of a long-standing exemption from federal antitrust laws, officials said. That provision is in the House-passed measure, but was omitted from the bill that the Senate passed on Christmas Eve. They also want the final measure to include a House-passed proposal for a nationwide insurance exchange, to be regulated by the federal government, where consumers could shop for private coverage. The Senate bill calls for a statebased system of exchanges. Additionally, House Democrats want to require insurers to spend a minimum amount of premium income on benefits, thereby limiting what is available for salaries, bonuses, advertising and other items. The House bill sets the floor at 85 percent; the Senate-passed measure lowers it to 80 percent for policies sold to

small groups and individuals. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are private. The maneuvering comes as the White House and majority Democrats intensify efforts to agree on a final measure, possibly before Obama delivers his State of the Union address late this month or early in February. Government intervention into the insurance market is one of the most contentious issues to be settled. Others include the fate of a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans, bitterly opposed by some labor unions; the extent to which abortions could be covered by insurance to be sold in the new exchanges; and the amount of money available to help lower-income families purchase coverage. Liberals long have pressed to include a government-run insurance option in the legislation, arguing it would create competition for private companies and place a brake on costs. House Democrats included it in their legislation. In the Senate, it drew opposition from Democratic moderates whose votes are essential to the bill’s fate. Even attempts to include an expansion of Medicare for uninsured individuals as young as age 55 — widely viewed as a face-saving proposal for liberals — had to be jettisoned.

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AP Photo/Taliban video via APTN

In this image taken from undated video made available from Taliban sources on Saturday, purportedly showing Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, right, reading a statement to camera vowing revenge for the death of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, while sitting next to the new leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud. Jordanian doctor Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, is identified by news organizations to be the man who killed seven CIA employees in a suicide attack in Afghanistan on Dec. 30. The authenticity of this video is unconfirmed. simple, and no one ignored the hazards,� Panetta wrote in a Washington Post op-ed piece posted online Saturday. “The individual was about to be searched by our security officers — a distance away from other intelligence personnel — when he set off his explosives.� Al-Balawi turned out to be a double-agent — perhaps even a triple-agent. In his 1 1/2 minute video, the bomber said he attacked the CIA to avenge the death of Baitullah Mehsud, the longtime leader of the

Pakistani Taliban who was killed in August in a CIA missile strike. “This jihadi attack will be the first revenge operation against the Americans and their drone teams outside the Pakistan border,� the bomber said on the video broadcast Saturday. Al-Balawi — wearing an Afghan hat and camouflaged jacket — said the Pakistani Taliban, now under the leadership of its new chief Hakimullah Mehsud, would fight until they achieve victory.

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KABUL (AP) — In a video broadcast after his death, the Jordanian suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees sits cross-legged on the floor next to the new chief of the Pakistani Taliban, confirming the group was behind the brazen attack in eastern Afghanistan. Yet multiple insurgent groups have claimed responsibility for the bombing, and a senior Pakistani militant told The Associated Press that al-Qaida and Afghan Taliban fighters also were involved in one of the worst attacks in the U.S. intelligence agency’s history. The suicide attack inside the CIA base could prompt the U.S. to further pressure the government of Pakistan to crack down on militants who operate on both sides of the AfghanPakistan border. U.S. missile strikes against targets on the Pakistan side already are on the rise. Seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer were killed Dec. 30 when the suicide bomber detonated his cache of explosives at Camp Chapman, a tightly secured CIA base in Khost province, a dangerous region southeast of the Afghan capital Kabul. The CIA had cultivated the bomber — a Jordanian doctor identified as Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi — in hopes of obtaining information about al-Qaida’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri. Defending his agents, CIA Director Leon Panetta said the bomber was about to be searched before the blast occurred. “This was not a question of trusting a potential intelligence asset, even one who had provided information that we could verify independently. It is never that

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A6 ◆

The Mountain Press ◆ Sunday, January 10, 2010

sunrise in the smokies

TODAY’S Briefing Local n

SEVIERVILLE

County boards meet Jan. 20

Three Sevier County boards will meet on Jan. 20 at the courthouse. The Sevier Water Board meets at 10 a.m.; the Transportation Board will meet at approximately 11 a.m.; and the Solid Waste Board will meet at 1:30 p.m., all in the Sevier County mayor’s office. n

PIGEON FORGE

Right to Life march is today

Sevier County Right to Life will hold its annual memorial march today to remember the estimated 60 million unborn babies who have been aborted. The march will begin at the Pigeon Forge Community Center at 1:45 p.m. Participants will walk to Country Tonite Theater for a program in celebration of the sanctity of life. The program will begin at 2:45 and end at approximately 4:15. Persons may attend the event at the theater without having to participate in the march. For more details, call Terry Aparicio (654-7685) and Louis Kahl (3845441). n

GATLINBURG

Greenways Trail topic of workshop

Citizen and business community participation and input are encouraged when the city hosts a second public workshop to discuss the next steps in the development of the Greenways Trail System master plan, including preliminary cost estimates and phasing recommendations. Gatlinburg staff and representatives of Barge, Wagonner, Sumner and Cannon Inc. will conduct the informational workshop at 5 p.m. Jan. 26 at City Hall. For more information, contact Marty Nicely at 436-4990. n

SEVIER COUNTY

Hospice in need of new volunteers UT Hospice is looking for mature volunteers to serve patients in the Sevier County and surrounding areas. The only requirement is a willingness to serve others. No medical experience is necessary. Training is provided. For more information, call Brenda Fletcher at 544-6277. n

$244M Tenn. revenue call made behind closed doors By ERIK SCHELZIG Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE — It was potentially a quarterbillion dollar decision on state spending. And the public has no clue how it was reached. When the State Funding Board set conservative annual revenue estimates last month, its four members would

only say the decision was a “consensus.” The estimate was set without debate at a public meeting, and board members wouldn’t divulge how that agreement was reached. The projections are used by the governor and lawmakers to craft the state’s annual spending plan at a time when they are consid-

The Sevier County Public Library System, which includes the Main Library and History Center at 321 Court Ave. in Sevierville, the Seymour Library and the Kodak Library, will be closed on Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. All locations will be open for regular hours on Jan. 19. For more information, call 774-6033. SEVIERVILLE

Road closed temporarily

The city of Sevierville Department of Public Works is installing drainage tiles on Reed Schoolhouse Road. Weather and other conditions permitting, the estimated project completion date is Friday. The work requires the closure of the road to through traffic between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists can expect delays while work is ongoing.

ering deep cuts that could include reducing TennCare coverage to thousands of enrollees and laying off state employees. The funding board’s low-end projection for the general fund of $8.275 billion is $244 million less than the most optimistic prediction among a panel of five econo-

mists consulted by the panel. The difference could pay for more than the entire budget of the Department of Children’s Services or the salary and benefits of about 6,000 state employees. The panel’s estimate is $22 million higher than the bottom projection offered by the economists.

TODAY’S FORECAST

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Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 Midday: 7-1-6

14

Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 Midday: 6-1-0-0

07

Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 03-12-17-23-27

LOCAL: Partly Cloudy

Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 12-21-25-28-29-40 x4

This day in history

High: 29° Low: 12°

Today is Sunday, Jan. 10, the 10th day of 2010. There are 355 days left in the year.

Windy

Chance of rain

n Last

0%

■ Monday Partly Cloudy

High: 37° Low: 23° ■ Tuesday Partly Cloudy

High: 35° Low: 18°

■ Lake Stages: ■ Air Quality Forecast: Base: 45-60 inches Primary base: Machine groomed Secondary base: Hard packed Trails open: All slopes open

National quote roundup “Not in the name of Islam.” — Sign among demonstrators outside federal court in Detroit where Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arraigned on charges he tried to blow up a U.S. airliner.

“It wasn’t some prank that didn’t do any harm.” — New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, on the arrest of a man believed to have breached security to bid his girlfriend goodbye, triggering the shutdown of a busy Newark Airport terminal that led to snarled flights worldwide.

“Talk about waving a red cape in front of a bull.” — Criminal law professor Stan Goldman on balloon boy father Richard Heene. Heene now says there was no balloon hoax, even though he pleaded guilty and agreed to be sentenced to 90 days in jail, angering prosecutors and law enforcement officials.

The Mountain Press Publisher: Jana Thomasson Editor: Stan Voit Production Director: Tom McCarter Advertising Director: Joi Whaley Business Manager: Mary Owenby Circulation Distribution Manager: Will Sing (ISSN 0894-2218) Copyright 2008 The Mountain Press. All Rights Reserved. All property belongs to The Mountain Press and no part may be reproduced without prior written consent. Published daily by The Mountain Press. P.O. Box 4810, Sevierville, TN, 37864, 119 River Bend Dr., Sevierville, TN 37876. Periodical Postage paid at Sevierville, TN.

n On

this date

n Ten

years ago

On Jan. 10, 1860, the Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Mass., collapsed, trapping hundreds in the rubble; during rescue efforts, a fire broke out — up to 145 people, mostly female workers from Scotland and Ireland, perished.

Douglas: 958.5 D1.5

Staff

year locally

Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary next month, is preparing to offer new services for 2009, including a Vision Care Program that will start this winter and three dental operatories where dentures and partials can be done at an affordable cost. The clinic was founded to provide primary health care to the medically uninsured in Sevier County.

SEVIER COUNTY

Libraries to close for King holiday

n

top state news

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How to Subscribe Just mail this coupon in with your payment to: The Mountain Press P.O. Box 4810 Sevierville, TN 37864-4810 0r Phone 428-0746 ext. 231 Ask about Easy Pay. . 55 or older? Call for your special rates In County Home Delivery Rates 4 weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 11.60

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America Online announced it was buying Time Warner for $162 billion (the resulting disastrous merger ended in December 2009). Peace talks between Israel and Syria recessed in West Virginia without agreement on new borders or any other major elements of a land-for-peace treaty. n Thought

for today

“History must speak for itself. A historian is content if he has been able to shed more light.” — William L. Shirer, American author and journalist (19041993).

Celebrities in the news n

Conan O’Brien

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien decides to leave NBC over its proposed late-night lineup revamp, he might find a w a r m welcome waiting for him at Fox. F o x respects O’Brien O’Brien’s talent and sees him as a good fit, a person at the network said Friday. The person, who lacked authority to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Fox was watching to see how the situation played out but that O’Brien remained under contract with NBC.

Mountain Views

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peacably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” —United States Constitution, Amendment One

■ The Mountain Press ■ Page A7 ■ Sunday, January 10, 2010

commentary

A fish tale that you can truly believe It’s about time Ryan DeSear had some good news. On Thursday, as he unveiled plans for the penguin exhibit at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, you could tell life was pretty good for him these days. DeSear is general manager of the Ripley’s attractions in Sevier County, including Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Moving Theater, Haunted Adventures, Mirror Maze, Davy Crockett Mini Golf, Believe It or Not, Old MacDonald’s Farm Mini-Golf in Sevierville and Guinness World Records Museum. He got that job last year after working his way up through the system for years. He also seems to have his house flooding problems behind him. For years his house in Pigeon Forge has been plagued by flooding from what he insisted was a clogged, broken city drainage ditch. After repeatedly denying the city was at fault, officials finally went in and — can you believe it? — found the drain was clogged. The DeSear house has survived recent rains with no flooding. Last week he was all smiles, dressed — like his key staff people — in black and white clothes to resemble a penguin. He teased the audience by proclaiming the announcement was for a manatee tank, but everyone there knew this was the worstkept secret around. DeSear, who’s in his late 30s, is loving his new role, but also thankful for the guidance he got along the way from people such as Steve File, former Ripley’s GM who’s now overseeing the company’s various construction projects as a regional supervisor. DeSear loves the marketing side of the business, meeting and hiring people, thinking of ways to make a Ripley’s attraction a mustsee destination. The decision by corporate officials to close the Veranda Restaurant was a good one. While at one time the high-end eatery was a good idea to go along with the aquarium, in fact most people who visit the aquarium are satisfied with sandwiches and fast food from the snack bar inside. Gatlinburg has some terrific upper-end restaurants already, and the Veranda was probably a financial drain on the aquarium. Besides, there wasn’t a lot of room left for expansion. Closing the restaurant and using that space for a new exhibit made lots of sense. So did the decision to add penguins. The African blackfooted variety will fit nicely into the aquarium’s mix. Bringing in coldwater penguins from Antarctica would have been difficult, and maintaining their habitat would have been costly. Besides, the warm-water penguins allow the aquarium to build the exhibit so people can interact with them easier. But don’t expect to be able to touch them or swim with them. Not that you’d want to. Penguins have a nasty odor, and humans wouldn’t want to be in contact with them for very long. It’s one big reason they are glassed off from people when you see them at zoos and aquariums. DeSear thinks the animals will draw at least another 250,000 people to the aquarium. He may be right. But he also probably sees the addition as a boost to business at a time when there are more and more options right here in Sevier County for the tourist dollar. The folks at Dollywood understand the need to give people something different every year. Whether it’s a show or a ride, Dollywood has something new each year to offer potential guests. So has the aquarium, but not like what they’re doing now. This is a $5 million project. Joseph Construction of Knoxville is doing the work. The company has a branch in Sevierville, and its local representative, Jim Arwood, was at the announcement. Safe to say this is the company’s first penguin exhibit. The Ripley’s investment in the aquarium is significant. It shows confidence in the future of tourism here and in the continued recovery of the economy. And for Ryan DeSear, it is an indication of what his bosses think of his leadership. It’s well placed trust. This GatlinburgPittman graduate — and Merit Scholar, I might add — shows what hard work, loyalty and patience can mean. This is a fish tale to be believed. — Stan Voit is editor of The Mountain Press. His column appears each Sunday. He can be reached at 428-0748, ext. 217, or e-mail to svoit@themountainpress.com.

Editorial

It’s SEC again Bama didn’t beat McCoy-led Texas, but a title is a title When a boxer’s punch cuts his opponent, he goes after that spot, hoping to open up the cut more and maybe stop the fight. That’s the way one-on-one sports are. You find your opponent’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities and attack them. The same goes for team sports, although one person’s absence or weakness usually doesn’t mean disaster for the whole team. Yet you can’t help but wonder — as will everyone who saw the Texas-Alabama game — what would that game have been like with a healthy Colt McCoy quarterbacking the Longhorns. To have Texas’s best against Alabama’s best would have been a more compelling game and storyline. It wasn’t to be. No team makes it to 14-0 without some close calls and lucky breaks. It’s difficult to go through an entire football season at any level without losing at least once. You really can’t afford to lose a game these days if you want the title. Parity hasn’t yet come to college football. The best teams are those with the best

head coaches, the best recruiters, the best facilities and the best organization. And even then you’re only as good as your last recruiting class or close game. The big-time coaches make big bucks, but at what price? Tennessee fans take some comfort in knowing they came within a low field goal try of beating Alabama and putting somebody else in that title game. That game, plus Bama’s narrow win over Auburn, were the close calls, the lucky breaks, that the Tide received. Texas had its troubles with Oklahoma and, of course, that classic against Nebraska for the Big 12 championship. Close calls. Lucky breaks. The Rose Bowl stadium was full of 92,000 fans Thursday night, with precious few no-shows. This was not an easy or inexpensive trip to make just to watch a football game. Television is great for sporting events, but you do miss something not being at the stadium watching in person. It’s the difference between seeing “Jaws” or “Titantic” on

a giant screen with an audience, and watching it alone at home. If TV can ever replicate the in-person experience, watch for attendance to drop. Fans of Southeastern Conference sports should be happy that an SEC team won the title for the fourth straight year. The respect in which this conference is held cannot be measured and is invaluable for those who recruit high school players. Three different SEC universities have won in those four years, so there is enough glory to go around. And always, always, there is next year. Few teams can repeat as champs in the modern era, whether at the college or pro level. That should give hope to the fans of Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Georgia who are close but not there yet. For now, though, let’s congratulate the Tide. Whether they beat the best Texas team that could have been fielded is beside the point. The title goes to the team that wins the game.

Political view

Public forum Sevierville officials doing poor job getting priorities straight

façade of a picturesque mountain and build the much talked about “Ultra Flow” traffic system, through the middle of town that is now popularly called the “Ultra Cram” sysEditor: tem. Previously, both TDOT and Sevierville When our children were young, my wife totally ignored the suggestion that a bypass and I would take them to Myrtle Beach in starting at the French Broad River would the summer. Once, we sat in traffic about 10 miles from our destination for nearly two work more efficiently. The Pigeon Forge parking lot now sits hours. We haven’t been back to Myrtle Beach empty, the poorly designed TDOT traffic flow since. It has long been acknowledged that history system failed and now BOMA is considering spending millions of dollars of borrowed is a good predictor of the future, because money to build a road to a shopping center it often repeats itself. Unfortunately, the that has a history of stopping construction. Sevierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen It is barely in the city limits. Moreover, this has paid very little attention to history. shopping center has only attracted another A couple of years ago, Pigeon Forge was convinced to spend over $25 million to build Walmart as a major tenant. In the meantime Sevierville officials are a parking lot for the now defunct Belle Island ignoring the fact that as the Events Center project. gains popularity, visitors are finding it much Several years earlier, Sevierville excitedly cooperated with the Tennessee Department more convenient to bypass SR 66 and take Old Knoxville Highway to do their tourist of Transportation (TDOT) to destroy the

things, thus backing up traffic for as much as one mile. Fortunately, those of us familiar with the area know the backroads, but the residents of Mountain View Drive and Jersey Drive are getting tired of all the new traffic in their residential neighborhoods. In the interim, the city has spent most of the money it borrowed for the purpose of widening Old Knoxville Highway on buying and destroying buildings downtown, and still plans on only widening Old Knoxville Highway to a dangerous maximum of three lanes. The Events Center and Wilderness Resort are realities, producing revenue, affecting traffic flow and frustrating both locals and visitors. The Walmart shopping center is still a couple of years off. Isn’t it time that Sevierville officials started putting first things first? Neil Cubberley Sevierville

Letters to the editor policy and how to contact us: ◆ We encourage our readers to send letters to the editor. Letters must contain no more than 500 words. No more than one letter per person will be published in a 30-day period. Letters must be neatly printed or typed and contain no libel, plagiarism or personal attacks. All letters are subject to editing for style, length and content. Statements of fact must be attributed to a source for verification. All letters must be signed and contain a phone number and address for verification purposes. No anonymous or unverified letters will be printed. No letters endorsing candidates will be considered. The Mountain Press reserves the right to refuse publication of any letter. E-MAIL LETTERS TO: editor@themountainpress.com or MAIL LETTERS TO: Editor, The Mountain Press, P.O. Box 4810, Sevierville, TN 37864. For questions, call (865) 428-0748, ext. 214. The Mountain Press and its publishers do not necessarily agree with the opinions expressed in letters and columns on this page.

Editorial Board:

State Legislators:

Federal Legislators:

◆ Jana Thomasson, Publisher ◆ Stan Voit, Editor ◆ Bob Mayes, Managing Editor ◆ Gail Crutchfield, Community News Editor

◆ Rep. Richard Montgomery

◆ U.S. Sen. Bob Corker

1-800-449-8366 Ext. 1-5981; 207 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243 rep.richard.montgomery@capitol.tn.gov

◆ Rep. Joe McCord

(202) 224-3344; Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., B40A, Washington, D.C. 20510

◆ U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander

(202) 224-4944; S/H 302, Washington, D.C. 20510

1-800-449-8366 Ext. 1-5481; 207 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243 rep.joe.mccord@capitol.tn.gov

◆ U.S. Rep. Phil Roe

1-800-449-8366 Ext. 10981; 320 War Memorial Bldg., Nashville TN 37243 sen.doug.overbey@capitol.tn.gov

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■ The Mountain Press ■ A8 ■ Sunday, January 10, 2010

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Peyton’s place in the record books Manning gets unprecedented 4th Most Valuable Player award By BARRY WILNER AP Football Writer

Darron Cummings/AP

In this Nov. 15, 2009 file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning reacts after he threw a touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Indianapolis. Manning has been selected as The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player of the Year.

NEW YORK — Maybe the award should be renamed Most Valuable Peyton. Peyton Manning became the first player to win The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player honors four times. The Indianapolis Colts’ sensational quarterback romped to the award Saturday in balloting by 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He got 39 1/2 votes to 7 1/2 for Drew Brees as only quarterbacks received any backing. Manning adds the 2009 honors to the awards he won in 2003, 2004 and 2008, breaking a tie with Brett Favre at three MVPs. “It’s been a different season,” said Manning, who guided the Colts to a 14-0 record before they rested starters in the second half of two games and finished 14-2. “Like I’ve said all along, it’s been a challenge, it’s been a grind at times, but guys have stepped up and played well.” No one more so than Manning, who threw for 4,500 and 33 touchdowns and, perhaps most impressively, led the Colts to a record seven fourth-quarter comeback wins. The 33-year-old Manning also has started every game in his career, 192 in the regular season and 15 in the playoffs. He is

National Football League MVPs 2009 — Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, QB 2008 — Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, QB 2007 — Tom Brady, New England, QB 2006 — LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego, RB 2005 — Shaun Alexander, Seattle, RB 2004 — Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, QB 2003 — Peyton Manning, Ind, and Steve McNair, Tenn, QBs 2002 — Rich Gannon, Oakland, QB 2001 — Kurt Warner, St. Louis, QB 2000 — Marshall Faulk, St. Louis, RB 1999 — Kurt Warner, St. Louis, QB 1998 — Terrell Davis, Denver, RB 1997 — Brett Favre, GB, QB, and Barry Sanders, Det, RB 1996 — Brett Favre, Green Bay, QB 1995 — Brett Favre, Green Bay, QB 1994 — Steve Young, San Francisco, QB 1993 — Emmitt Smith, Dallas, RB 1992 — Steve Young, San Francisco, QB 1991 — Thurman Thomas, Buffalo, RB 1990 — Joe Montana, San Francisco, QB 1989 — Joe Montana, San Francisco, QB 1988 — Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati, QB 1987 — John Elway, Denver, QB 1986 — Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants, LB 1985 — Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders, RB 1984 — Dan Marino, Miami, QB 1983 — Joe Theismann, Washington, QB 1982 — Mark Moseley, Washington, PK 1981 — Ken Anderson, Cincinnati, QB 1980 — Brian Sipe, Cleveland, QB 1979 — Earl Campbell, Houston, RB 1978 — Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh, QB 1977 — Walter Payton, Chicago, RB 1976 — Bert Jones, Baltimore, QB 1975 — Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota, QB 1974 — Ken Stabler, Oakland, QB 1973 — O.J. Simpson, Buffalo, RB 1972 — Larry Brown, Washington, RB 1971 — Alan Page, Minnesota, DT 1970 — John Brodie, San Francisco, QB 1969 — Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams, QB 1968 — Earl Morrall, Baltimore, QB 1967 — John Unitas, Baltimore, QB 1966 — Bart Starr, Green Bay, QB 1965 — Jim Brown, Cleveland, RB 1964 — John Unitas, Baltimore, QB 1963 — Y.A. Tittle, New York Giants, QB 1962 — Jim Taylor, Green Bay, RB 1961 — Paul Hornung, Green Bay, RB

durable, dynamic, dependable and decisive. In other words, most valuable. “He’s been such a highly accomplished performer year in and year out. Just when you think you’ve seen his best, he improves upon it,” said Jim Caldwell, who replaced Tony Dungy as coach and benefited from the same kind of performances Manning gave

Dungy. “This year is one of those in terms of when you look at his numbers and how he’s been able to play consistently well over a long period of time. It’s been remarkable. “I think a lot of it has to do with his drive. He just has an innate sort of will to excel. He never gets bored with it. That, I think, is See PEYTON, Page A9

COMMENTARY AND PREDICTIONS

Pats, Cards should win today With the NFL playoff getting started yesterday, here are my picks for Sunday’s NFL Wildcard games.

Mark J. Terrill/AP

USC head coach Pete Carroll celebrates after they intercepted the ball during the Trojans’ game against UCLA last season in Los Angeles.

Green Bay also has a top-five defense this season, although they did lay some eggs in a few games, including a recent Week 16 matchup against the Steelers. • Baltimore Ravens at New The Cardinals also have an England Patriots, 1 p.m. explosive offense, from QB Kurt Sunday on CBS Warner to a solid stable of wide The Patriots have been an Running back Ray Rice is a beast. receivers. Arizona has some enigma all season, and we still The New England defense has talent at running back also, really don’t know how good they been virtually refabricated, and although both Beannie Wells and are. For one thing, they play in a they have been vulnerable against Tim Hightower have a chronic weak division with the Jets and the run and pass this season. problem called fumblitus. Dolphins as their main competiFlacco doesn’t have what it By the way, the Arizona tion. For another, we don’t know takes to win a game on his own. defense is pretty tough too, espehow well Tom Brady is actually He needs a great defense and a cially against the run. playing this season. running game. He has a great I guess I’ll go with experience Brady has had some great running game, but I don’t believe in this one. games this year, but he’s not been that will be enough. Warner is no stranger to playhis typical self by any measure. Pick: Patriots 27, Baltimore off runs and Super Bowl games. Randy Moss has been hearing 16 If his O-line gives him three secsome complaints that he’s slackonds, he’ll make big plays down ing this season and not giving a • Green Bay Packers at the field. great effort for the team. Arizona Cardinals, 4:30 p.m. Green Bay has choked in a It goes without saying that Sunday on FOX few too many big games this how well Moss and Brady play This should be a great matchup season to pick the Packers for a in this game will be a huge factor against two teams that have been road playoff win, and QB Aaron in the outcome, especially since playing well recently for the most Rodgers is a talent, yet very Wes Welker went down last week part. unproven, especially in the postwith a nasty knee injury against The Packers have some exploseason. Houston. sive offensive playmakers in their Pick: Cardinals 38, Green The Ravens no longer have a lineup, from their quarterback to Bay 27 great defense. QB Joe Flacco has receivers to a tight end that is a regressed from his promising mismatch for any linebacker and chitchcock@themountainpress.com rookie campaign a season ago. most safeties to cover.

Reports: Pete Carroll leaving USC for Seattle Vols changing as Kansas comes to town TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS BASKETBALL

By GREGG BELL AP Sports Writer SEATTLE — Pete Carroll reportedly agreed to leave Southern California after nine years to return to the NFL and coach the Seattle Seahawks. ESPN cited multiple league sources Saturday, saying Carroll reached an agreement with a

team that went 5-11 and fired coach Jim Mora on Friday after one season. The Los Angeles Times reported Carroll also will be team president. The Seahawks also are speaking with Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Teams must interview minority See CARROLL, Page A9

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee is headed into a matchup with the top ranked team in the nation and they’re not at full strength. With the dismissal of senior team captain Tyler Smith and suspension of three others, Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl faces an unenviable task of try-

ing to avenge last year’s loss to the Jayhawks without the biggest tools in his toolbox when the teams tip off on Sunday. Smith, an All-SEC forward for No. 16 Tennessee (11-2), and three teammates were arrested during a traffic stop on New Year’s Day on misdemeanor drug and weapons charges.

Pearl dismissed Smith from the team and suspended post player Brian Williams, wing Cameron Tatum and point guard Melvin Goins. “Tyler was accountable to me, he was very remorseful, and he has accepted the responsibiliSee VOLS, Page A10

Sports â—† A9

Sunday, January 10, 2010 â—† The Mountain Press LOCAL FOOTBALL

Brewer: Coaching clinic a success By JASON DAVIS Sports Editor GATLINBURG — Over 200 coaches from Tennessee and the bordering states gathered at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg this weekend for the annual Big East Coaching Clinic. The clinic, which is named for the now-defunct Big East football conference, is organized by Sevier County High School coach Steve Brewer and Dobyns-Bennett head coach Graham Clark. “We thought it went really well,� Brewer said Saturday afternoon. “We had 220 register and for the snowy conditions that we had, we thought it was great.� Though Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson had to cancel his appearance due to problems at the Atlanta airport, the clinic still featured several influential coaches. North Carolina coach Butch Davis, Tennessee assistants Jim Chaney and James Cregg, Kentucky offensive coordinator Randy Sanders and former Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors were among the event’s

Doug Mills/AP

Peyton Manning in his Tennessee days, preparing to loft a pass in the Vols’ 20-14 Citrus Bowl win over Ohio State Monday, Jan. 1, 1996, in Orlando.

CARROLL PEYTON

3From Page A8

highly unusual.� So unique that Manning has joined the truly elite of team sports: Wayne Gretzky (9), Barry Bonds (7) and Kareem AbdulJabbar (6), the leaders for most valuable player awards in each of their sports. Not surprisingly, Manning, the 2007 Super Bowl MVP when he won his only league championship, briefly reflects before looking ahead. “To win 14 games this year, if you had told me we were going to 14 games at the beginning of the season, I might not have believed you,� he said. “So, it has been rewarding from a team standpoint because of what we have done. Hopefully, we can keep it going.� The Colts play in the divisional round next week and have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The Super Bowl is Feb. 7 in Miami, the same place they won it three years ago. Manning lost his longtime favorite receiver, Marvin Harrison, this season. Harrison’s replacement, Anthony Gonzalez,

went down with a right knee injury in the opener. Manning simply turned to his latest fave, Reggie Wayne, who had 100 catches for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns. And to Dallas Clark, who joined Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends with 100 receptions in a season when he grabbed exactly that many for 1,106 yards and 10 scores. Plus, Austin Collie tied for the rookie lead in receptions with 60 and scored seven times. Pierre Garcon, nurtured in dozens of passing sessions with Manning, developed into a prime deep threat and averaged 16.3 yards on 47 catches, with four TDs. “What he’s been able to do this year with Pierre (Garcon) and Austin (Collie),� linebacker and defensive captain Gary Brackett said, “and obviously Dallas had a year that will go down in the record books, and I think it really says something when you can work young guys like that.� The other votes went to San Diego’s Philip Rivers with two, and Minnesota’s Brett Favre with one.

3From Page A8

candidates for head coaching jobs. Carroll’s agent, Gary Uberstine, did not return calls and e-mails from The Associated Press. The Seahawks are not commenting and chief executive Tod Leiweke did not return repeated messages Saturday. Carroll was 6-10 in 1994 with the New York Jets and then 27-21 while twice reaching the playoffs from 1997-99 with the New England Patriots. He restored a dynasty at USC beginning in 2001. A month before firing Mora, the Seahawks forced general manager and president Tim Ruskell to resign. That left them without a coach, general manager or president less than four years after they reached the Super Bowl. Until now. The Los Angeles Times reported that Leiweke flew to California before firing Mora to interview Carroll. The newspaper said that Seattle — owned by Microsoft Corp. tycoon Paul Allen — is believed

Jason Davis/The Mountain Press

Coach Johnny Majors, a speaker at the clinic, poses for a photo after his session with first-year Bledsoe County head coach Jason Reel. featured speakers. In those sessions, the coaches share emerging ideas and strategies in the world of football. “In our profession there’s not a lot of originality. You take what you hear and try to adapt it to what you can do and what

to be offering Carroll a five-year contract worth $7 million a season to be president and coach. That would be a raise of more than $2 million annually on what Carroll is thought to be earning at USC. The opportunity is unique for Carroll. The Seahawks still do not have a GM, so he conceivably will have authority over football matters as he does at USC, and far more than he would have had filling any of the NFL coaching openings to which he’s been connected in recent winters. And this was perhaps

your personnel can do,� Brewer said. “We’re always looking for ideas, we’re always looking for drills, and we’re looking for things we can implement.� Hoping to strike gold, Brewer said Smoky Bears’ staff heard some things

they liked at the clinic. “We got several ideas from the clinic, to the point that several of the coaches are going to go visit with one of the speakers that we heard,� Brewer said.

the best time to leave the Trojans since he arrived. USC’s string of seven consecutive Pac-10 titles ended with four losses this season. The school has been under several years of NCAA scrutiny for alleged improprieties in both Carroll’s team and athletic director Mike Garrett’s beleaguered department. When receiver Damian Williams announced he would enter the NFL, the news release of his departure Friday night didn’t include a comment from Carroll, who often lavishes praise on his early

entry candidates. If Carroll is indeed leaving college, USC’s recruits must now decide whether to honor their commitments to the Trojans or re-enter the recruiting derby late in process. University of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian left his friend Carroll and the Trojans 12 months ago for his first head coaching job. He was asked if he’d like to be a head man in the same city as his mentor. “That would be kind of fun,� Sarkisian said. “He’s a great coach.�

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The Mountain Press â—† Sunday, January 10, 2010

SCOREBOARD nfl gridiron

AP NFL MVP Voting NEW YORK (AP) — The voting for the 2009 NFL Most Valuable Player selected by The Associated Press in balloting by a nationwide panel of the media:

P. Manning, QB, Indi. 39 1/2

D. Brees, QB, New Orleans 7 1/2

Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego 2

Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota 1

NFL Playoff Glance Wildcard Round Saturday N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati, 4:30 p.m. (NBC) Philadelphia at Dallas, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Today

Baltimore at New England, 1 p.m. (CBS) Green Bay at Arizona, 4:40 p.m. (FOX) Divisional Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 16 Philadelphia, Green Bay or Arizona at New Orleans, 4:30 p.m. (FOX) Baltimore, N.Y. Jets or Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 8:15 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Jan. 17 Dallas, Green Bay or Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m. (FOX) New England, N.Y. Jets or Cincinnati at San Diego, 4:40 p.m. (CBS) Conference Championships Sunday, Jan. 24

Vols

3From Page A8

ties of what he was charged with,�’ Pearl told The Knoxville News-Sentinel. “We understand there’s a code of conduct for student athletes.� The dismissal of Tyler and suspension of three players doesn’t mean Kansas coach Bill Self is looking for an easy game against the Volunteers. Instead, Self said, he suspects others will step up. “Now this will be a chance for Scotty Hopson to take over and do what he’s capable of doing,� KU coach Bill Self told the Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World. “He’s their best prospect.� Hopson, a 6-7 sophomore guard, averages a teamleading 13.5 points a game. Kansas sophomore Tyshawn Taylor told the Lawrence paper he was disappointed the Vols would be lacking top players in a rematch of last year’s game. The Jayhawks (14-0) outpaced the Volunteers 92-85 a year ago in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan. “If we beat them, people are just going to say, ’Oh, they didn’t have their full team,�’ Taylor said. “If we win, we are not going to get the credit we deserve for it, but I mean, we are going to go in there with the mindset that everybody is playing. We are hungry just like they are hungry.� Even without Smith, Jayhawks junior Cole Aldrich expects a rough time in a hostile arena that holds

AFC, 3 p.m. (CBS) NFC, 6:40 p.m. (FOX) Pro Bowl Sunday, Jan. 31 At Miami AFC vs. NFC, 7:20 p.m. (ESPN) Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7 At Miami NFC champion vs. AFC champion, 6:25 p.m. (CBS)

ncaa hoops Carson-Newman vs Mars Hill 01/09/10 2:00 p.m. at Mars Hill, N.C. (Stanford Arena) At Mars Hill, N.C. CARSON-NEWMAN 88, MARS HILL 80 CARSON-NEWMAN (13-0, 3-0 SAC) Kyle, Ashley 6-12 10-15 23; Mendenhall, Mandy 8-13 2-4 19; Buford, Shari 7-11 2-3 16; Moore, Katlin 3-7 0-0 8; Clear, Candis 2-6 3-4 8; Williams, Zoriah 1-7 4-5 6; Miles, Courdne 1-1 1-3 3; Bates, Cassie 1-4 1-1 3; Jackson, Dominique 0-0 2-2 2; Phillips, Tasha 0-1 0-0 0; Hunter, Megan 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 29-62 25-38 88. MARS HILL (4-10, 1-2 SAC) Young, Brittini 7-9 2-2 18; Moore, Krystal 5-14 0-0 12; Harvey, Margaret 3-7 3-5 9; Miller, Beth 3-6 2-2 9;

21,678 fans. “They can still be a great team,� Aldrich said. “It doesn’t matter if those (four) guys are playing or not. It still will be a great game, a fun game.� Self told The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle that Pearl and Missouri coach Mike Anderson are among the best at getting players motivated and adjusting to who is available. “There’s times when Missouri’s or Tennessee’s leading scorer is out of the game, and you don’t even realize he’s out of the game because of the way they play,� Self said. Off the court, Smith said he’ll miss his teammates, but looks to continue volunteering in the community and hopes to play in the NBA next year. “The hardest thing for me right now is I can’t go back and put on that orange jersey,� Smith told the Knoxville News-Sentinel. “But I’m still going to be a volunteer in the community. The way I look at it, I can still help out, the boys and girls clubs, the habitat for humanity . . . whatever I can do.� Smith was averaging 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 26.8 minutes. He had been leading the Vols in minutes played and assists (44), and Smith ranked second in the nation in assist-turnover ratio. “His legacy at Tennessee is tarnished, we understand that,� Pearl said. “But at the same time he accomplished a great deal here as a player.�

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beat No. 13 Connecticut 72-69. Next: vs. Seton Hall, Thursday. 13. Connecticut (11-4) lost to No. 12 Georgetown 72-69. Next: vs. No. 23 Pittsburgh, Wednesday. 14. Mississippi (12-3) lost to Mississippi State 80-75. Next: at Georgia, Wednesday. 15. New Mexico (14-2) vs. UNLV. Next: vs. Utah, Wednesday. 16. Tennessee (11-2) did not play. Next: vs. No. 1 Kansas, Sunday. 17. Wisconsin (13-3) beat No. 4 Purdue 73-66. Next: at Northwestern, Wednesday. 18. Florida State (13-2) did not play. Next: at Maryland, Sunday. 19. Gonzaga (11-3) at Portland. Next: at St. Mary’s, Calif., Thursday. 20. Georgia Tech (12-3) beat No. 5 Duke 71-67. Next: at Virginia, Wednesday.

Top 20 Fared Saturday 1. Kansas (14-0) did not play. Next: at No. 16 Tennessee, Sunday. 2. Texas (15-0) beat Colorado 103-86. Next: at Iowa State, Wednesday. 3. Kentucky (15-0) vs. Georgia. Next: at Florida, Tuesday. 4. Purdue (14-1) lost to No. 17 Wisconsin 73-66. Next: vs. Ohio State, Tuesday. 5. Duke (13-2) lost to No. 20 Georgia Tech 71-67. Next: vs. Boston College, Wednesday. 6. Villanova (14-1) beat Marquette 78-76. Next: at Louisville, Monday. 7. Syracuse (14-1) did not play. Next: vs. South Florida, Sunday. 8. West Virginia (12-1) at Notre Dame. Next: at South Florida, Wednesday. 9. North Carolina (11-4) did not play. Next: vs. Virginia Tech, Sunday. 10. Michigan State (12-3) at Iowa. Next: vs. Minnesota, Wednesday. 11. Kansas State (13-2) lost to Missouri 74-68. Next: vs. Texas A&M, Tuesday. 12. Georgetown (12-2)

play. Next: at UCLA, Sunday. 3. Notre Dame (14-0) beat Villanova 81-46. Next: vs. South Florida, Tuesday. 4. Tennessee (13-1) did not play. Next: at Mississippi State, Sunday. 5. Baylor (13-1) at No. 23 Oklahoma State. Next: vs. No. 14 Oklahoma, Wednesday. 6. Ohio State (17-1) beat No. 19 Michigan State 65-62. Next: vs. Illinois, Thursday. 7. North Carolina (13-1) at No. 1 Connecticut. Next: at Virginia Tech, Thursday. 8. Georgia (15-0) did not play. Next: vs. Florida, Sunday. 9. Duke (13-2) did not play. Next: vs. Wake Forest, Sunday. 10. Texas A&M (12-1) at No. 15 Texas. Next: vs. Iowa State, Wednesday.

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Mountain Life ■ The Mountain Press ■ B Section ■ Sunday, January 10, 2010

Superstitions and ghosts in my imagination Are you superstitious? Do you avoid walking under ladders? Does a broken mirror bring thoughts of seven years of bad luck? Do you believe in ghosts? Do you sometimes think there are others around you that you don’t see, but sense in other ways? Raised by at least one parent who is pretty superstitious and believes in ghosts, I can’t help but be a little bit of both, and it’s been picked up by the next generation. Take dreams, for example. My nieces love sharing their dreams with me. Sometimes their dreams include their favorite teen stars as main characters. Their dreams run the gamut from happy and funny to weird, scary and sad. The funny and happy dreams are shared as soon as they can tell me. They don’t hesitate to tell me about them. But the weird, scary or sad ones have to wait until after they’ve had something to eat. Why is that, you may ask? It’s because they’ve been taught the superstition that if you tell someone about your dream before you eat something, the dream will come true. Crazy, I know, but that’s what they’ve learned from my mother and their mother. I’ve even caught myself doing that once or twice. The good thing about it, though, is sometimes by the time you’ve eaten, you’ve forgotten the bad dream. My dreams are never really that bad anyway, and sometimes are amusing. I have a tendency to fall asleep in front of the television. One time when I fell asleep and I began dreaming, one of my co-workers was the main character in the dream, but her voice and dialogue were that of the pitchman for one of those compilation albums of music from the ’50s or ’60s. It would have been much funnier if she were the Sham-Wow or Slap-Chop guy, but I can still see the image of her face with the pitchman’s voice coming from her mouth. Our superstitions go further than sharing our dreams. Take football, for example. My sister and nieces are particularly superstitious when it comes to football. All Alabama fans, they’ve taken their superstitions to a new level this year. My sister and her oldest child have certain clothes they have to wear on game day and certain foods they have to eat that day. Soup is always on the menu for game day, and I believe my niece was wearing her Saban Nation T-shirt on Thursday night. I, on the other hand, have no special clothing I wear on game day and no special foods to eat. I did wear my crimson turtleneck on Thursday, but mostly because it was a new blouse. I’d forgotten the national championship game was being played that day and didn’t even know what time it started or on what channel it would be broadcast. That wouldn’t have mattered anyway; my way to help my alma mater is to not watch the game. They seem to do better when I don’t watch. I haven’t seen a full game this year. Do you think that’s why they won the championship? Well, it might have had something to do with their capabilities. As for ghosts, I can’t swear to have ever seen one. I even went on a ghost hunt with a couple of ghost-hunting brothers for a story for my old newspaper. I felt a couple of cold spots, which the brothers told me is indicative of a ghostly presence, but it was also late October when we went hunting for ghosts in an old cemetery. My mother, who learned her superstitions from her mother, doesn’t seem to see ghosts as much as she smells them. I know, it sounds crazy, but that’s the way it is. After my Uncle Walter died, Mom swore one day she could smell cigarette smoke in the house, and no one in the house smoked. After telling Walter hello and that he could go away the smell went away, she said. Now I have caught odors that remind me of certain people, but I haven’t ever thought it was a long-dead relative coming to pay a visit. The ghosts I see are quick visions I catch out of the corner of my eye, mostly while I’m driving down the road. I could have sworn I saw my paternal grandfather one day standing near the side of the road at my parent’s home. A second look proved it was only the paper box and a long shadows from a street light. That’s also happened with road signs and mail boxes. So maybe my superstitions aren’t valid and ghosts aren’t real, but simply an active imagination and lessons learned over a lifetime. — Gail Crutchfield is the community editor of The Mountain Press. Call 428-0748, ext. 215, or e-mail to gcrutchfield@themountainpress.com.

A league of their own

Gail Crutchfield/The Mountain Press

Zachary Haas, 9, keeps on eye on his cards as his brother Alex, 15, makes his play.

Family enjoys time participating in Pokémon league By GAIL CRUTCHFIELD Community Editor SEVIERVILLE — Trading cards may not seem to be an educational tool, but that is one advantage a local man sees from the Pokémon Trading Card Game League. Keith Haas is the leader of the local league and a regional leader as well for East Tennessee. He’s also acts as a judge at many regional and national tournaments. He’s been involved with Pokémon since his oldest son, 15-year-old Alex, received his first trading cards back in 1998. “His cousin gave him some cards and he liked them,” Haas said. “So for the next couple of years, we would get cards to collect.” Introduced to them at such a young age, the 4-year-old wasn’t interested in the game played with the cards, which can be classified as rare, common and uncommon. The rare cards are shiny with holographic images on them. “He didn’t play the game way back then,” he said. “He just liked the shiny cards, the pretty ones and the ones he knew from the TV show he liked.” Haas said he would buy packs of cards from Japan over the Internet, because they had more of the cards Alex liked. As Alex got older and his interest in the cards increased, the family found out about a league that met at a local bookstore. “We found a bunch of young folks that collected and traded. Some of the older kids actually knew how to play the game,” Haas said. “Once Alex figured out there was a game to it and he got a little bit older, he wanted to learn. Well, since he didn’t know how to play, Dad had to learn and then I had to teach them.” Haas said that’s one thing he appreciates about the game: The entire family can play. It is a one-one-one game, with each player bringing their own 60-card deck to the table. They build their decks over time. Each year, the company that distributes the cards puts out four sets of numbered cards. Each individual package contains 10 random cards from the set, with the player’s goal of collecting all the cards in the set. There are also themed decks that are ready for play. The cards include different characters, each with different powers that can be used to attack the characters in an opponent’s deck. There are also other cards called trainer, supporter, stadium and energy that can help the character card in the game. Like a card-game version of rock-paper-scissors, one charac-

Gail Crutchfield/The Mountain Press

Keith Haas watches as his sons Zachary and Alex play the Pokémon trading card game. ter’s powers can override another’s, but yet another character can override the first character’s powers. Grass, for example, is vulnerable to fire, but fire would be vulnerable to water, and so on. As one opponent reveals their cards, the other can use the cards in their own deck to fight back against the character revealed. The goal is to deplete the number of prize cards in an opponents hand to win the game and knock out all of their Pokémon characters. A character is knocked based on how many hit points the receive from the opposing character. Each card indicates how many hit points it takes to knock out that character. “I can use poltergeist where I get to look at my opponent’s hand,” Alex said as an example. “I can see how many trainers, supporters and stadiums he has in there, count them, multiply it by 30, and that’s how much damage I do to him.” There are rules and regulations, Haas said, to keep the game fair, allowing only so many cards of certain strengths and only so many trainer, support, stadium and energy cards. The leagues rotate sets of cards out of play periodically to keep the game interesting and prevent players from

Gail Crutchfield/The Mountain Press

Alex Haas looks at the Pokémon trading cards in his hands while playing his brother. Alex has been invited to the world Pokémon trading card game championship at least twice. building the ultimate unbeatable deck. During tournament play, the players are divided based on ages. Anyone born 1994 and earlier plays in the master category, with younger categories classified as junior and senior. The master category, which Alex is in this year, can include anyone his age all the way up to adults. Alex said what he likes about the game is getting to meet with friends and go to different places to play the game. He also likes to play, planning strategy to try to beat his opponent and win prizes. His younger brother, 9-year-old Zachary, said he likes it because it’s fun. “Who cares about winning or losing?” he said.

“The parts I like about it as a parent, is that if you notice, all these cards have language on them,” Haas said. “What do you have to do? You have to read them to understand them. You’re working on reading skills. You have to know how to calculate damage, and it’s in factions of 10, so you don’t do anything difficult, but you improve your math skills.” The local Pokémon TCG League meets each Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Sevierville Public Library. About 40 players participate throughout the year, Haas said, with about 18 coming to league meetings each Saturday. For more information about the league, contact Haas at 310-5140.

n gcrutchfield@themountainpress.com

B2 â—† Local

The Mountain Press â—† Sunday, January 10, 2010

A few highlights of the Sevier winter of 2010 Well, this past week I was looking down into the holler toward Webb’s Creek thinking about how Old Man Winter is packing up his icicles and snowballs ... getting ready to head north on I-75. If you look up “Perfect Climate� in the dictionary it should say, “Sevier County, TN.� Our springtime shows up early in the year followed by an incredibly long summer and an almost never ending fall. We get to play in the snow for a couple of weeks in January and experience brief eyeopening numbness and then green stuff starts popping up all over again. Winter is entering its second week now and will soon be over. I must say, I have thoroughly enjoyed the past winter of 2010 and am now ready for spring. Step outside and listen for a robin, but be careful on the ice. Unless you are a penguin, our four seasons are the perfect blend of spring wildflowers, lazy summer days floating on an inner tube, and then watching 135 different deciduous trees paint a masterpiece of colors beyond description. I don’t care how trite this ancient saying is, “If you are lucky enough to live in Sevier County, you are lucky enough!� Old Man Winter travels on down to the Smokies to use his twoweek timeshare and then sneaks back to Chicago and other places where people can actually see each others’ breaths. No offense intended, but I have zero interest in seeing your breath coming out of your mouth. My favorite memories and highlights of the winter of 2010 were enjoying the beauty of the snow-capped mountains and watching frolicking visitors with Florida license plates sledding on hills at the top of NewFound Gap. I smiled as one daddy pulled his car over and grabbed a bit of snow to hand to his baby in the backseat. Sweet! Two weeks of cold weather is the perfect winter season. Kat and I enjoy the outdoors and hiking during the two weeks of winter. It showed six degrees on my car’s thermometer

at the top of Newfound Gap last week, so we simply changed our hiking plans from Mingus Creek Trail to hiking the Harrah’s Loop Trail in Cherokee. It is a level, totally enclosed trail that serves a buffet. In the early part of the winter of 2010, a few days back, I was hiking on Big Creek Trail (in that area where Mountain Mama’s used to serve hamburgers to hikers) and met a family of four returning from a five-day backpacking trip. We chatted for a while with them, and the two cute 7- and 10-year old girls seemed most excited about getting back to their car and getting pancakes that had been promised to them. There is nothing like the family bonding that occurs while starving together and sleeping on

Kindergarten students get registration dates Submitted reports Kindergarten registration for the 2010-2011 school year in Sevier County Schools will be held March 12. As part of the Education Improvement Act of 1992, a kindergarten experience is mandatory in Tennessee. To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must be 5 years of age on or before Sept. 30. Parents should pick up a registration packet at the school the child will be attending on or after Jan. 15. This packet contains all the information and directions needed to register a child. Completed registration packets must be returned on March 12 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the school in which the child will be enrolled.

the ground in near zero weather. I would love to read the journals of that trip. Our perfect climate brings to mind the famous story of the three bears. The family traveled up to Houghton, Mich., when the baby bear started screaming and crying, “This is way too cold!� Houghton gets 17 feet of snow each year and you could miss the entire summer season while getting your oil changed at Quickie Lube. The bear family quickly traveled south to Miami and the baby bear once again screamed and cried, “Get my fur off. This is like an oven, and what’s the deal with the bugs?� Finally the bear family arrived in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the baby bear said, “This climate is the best in the whole world. This is just right! Can we live here?� Fifteen hundred of their smart relatives now call the Smokies home. OK, I don’t want to hear about the 65-70degree average annual temperature in San Diego or the year-round balmy beaches in Hawaii

or even the three-month period when Floridians can go outside. There is no climate perfection where you have hurricane seasons, wildfire seasons or have to

regularly check your lava flow. Hey, is that a trillium popping up down there? That is just how it looks from my log cabin. — John LaFevre is

a local speaker and coauthor of the interactive national park hiking book series, Scavenger Hike Adventures, Falcon Guides, Globe Pequot Press. E-mail to scavengerhike@aol.com.

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Religion â—† B3

Sunday, January 10, 2010 â—† The Mountain Press

Public pulpit

As we begin the new year, remember God’s in control By ALTA RAPER 2010. What changes, joys and sorrows does it hold? The new year is a fresh start. We can fill the new pages of our life with as much goodness, kindness, and love as we can muster. Let the bad things of the past be gone and forgotten. I’m pondering this morning on God and how glad I am that He is a God of fresh starts. Psalm 139:16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them ever came to be.� As we begin another year let us consider that our Father, our God, knows, creates, lives, loves, judges and sanctifies. If we call ourselves Christian, then He is in control. He is the one to whom and for whom we live and breathe and have our very being. In Genesis 1:5 we are assured that God is from morning to evening, ever moving. He is never still and He never leaves us alone. His line is never busy, and our knee mail to him always reaches its destination. “What a friend we have in Jesus..� Sing it again and again. What a precious friend we have in Jesus. We can all begin this New Year by entrusting our cares, our burdens, our heartaches, and our worries to Him. Let him be the Lord of your life and

re l i g i o n b r i e f s Palestinians jeer leader in march

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Dozens of Palestinian Christians have booed their religious leader during a procession in the biblical town of Bethlehem marking Greek Orthodox Christmas. The protesters accuse Patriarch Theofilos of selling church lands to Israelis. Tuesday’s protest was peaceful. But about two dozen Palestinian policemen wearing helmets surrounded the protesters, who held signs reading, “the Holy Land is not for sale.�

Malaysia court reinstates ban

you can enjoy perfect peace as you allow yourself to move with him and yes, even dance with Him. Wow. What a great thought. Dancing with the Lord of the Dance. Moving rhythmically with Him in preordained or even improvised steps and allowing him to lead us throughout all the days of our lives. Keeping guard that we don’t step on His toes, realizing that He knows far better than we do the direction we should take. Following the lead of our Savior, we will never fail nor flounder and all our steps will be sure and certain. “Another year is dawning, dear Master, let it be, in working or in waiting, another year with Thee. Another year of progress, another year of praise, Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.� (Written in 1874 by Frances Ridley Havergal) Why not make this your prayer for the New Year. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.� Amen and Amen. — Alta Raper is pastor of Pittman Center Circuit of the United Methodist Church: Burnett Memorial UMC in Pittman Center, Webb’s Creek UMC just off 321 in Gatlinburg, and Shults Grove UMC in Cosby.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian court temporarily suspended its decision to let non-Muslims use the word “Allah� to refer to God, pending an appeal by the government in a case that raised religious tensions in the Muslim-majority country. High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan said her Dec. 31 ruling will not take effect until the Appeals Court decides on a petition by the Home Ministry. No date has been set for the Appeals Court hearing. Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail welcomed the suspension.

Lawmakers back gay funeral rights

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island lawmakers have voted to allow same-sex and unmarried couples the right to plan the funerals of their late partners, overriding a veto by the governor, who warned it eroded traditional marriage. The bill passed 67-3 in the House and 31-3 in the Senate, and enjoyed support from several Republican lawmakers, who in the same party as Gov. Don Carcieri, an adamant opponent of samesex marriage in a state that does not recognize gay unions.

Teenager arrested in mosque blaze JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police briefly detained a teenager from a West Bank settlement in connection with the torch-

ing of a West Bank mosque in December. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said a minor was questioned last week in the attack, believed to have been the work of Jewish extremists in the West Bank. Israeli law prohibits publication of information that might lead to identification of minors suspected of crimes.

Man sentenced in church sale plot

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit man who was convicted in a church mortgage scheme has been sentenced to at least 11 years in prison. Forty-six-year-old Tracy Carmichael was sentenced Tuesday. He was convicted last month by a jury of charges including embezzlement, forgery and money laundering. Authorities say Carmichael attempted to sell the Temple of God Deliverance church on Detroit’s east side in 2007.

Smoky Mountain Reflections January 2010 Happy New Year!

As we transition to a new decade a number of important things will take place this year. Our nation will conduct its census. This is a very important process which helps our local and national government to be good stewards of our local and national resources. Our states and communities will continue to try to work our way out of this economic recession. But more importantly we as individuals will make decisions every day that will affect those around us in positive and negative ways. I am not big on New Year’s resolutions because I have failed so miserably at so many. I prefer to make commitments when ever it is appropriate not just once a year. When it comes to setting priorities in our daily lives like who gets the first piece of food? And why? Who gets the place of honor? And why? Is it a Guest or a Birthday or an Anniversary, a Graduation, certification. We like to recognize, hard work, and success. But if we look at Exodus chapter 13 (selected verses) the one who gets the first and the best of our lives should be God. The text even tells us why that is as well. “Consecrate to me all the firstborn‌ both of man and of beast, is mine.â€? All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s. Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. God tells us why in this text as well, when your child asksâ€Śâ€˜What does this mean?’ Here is the answer to why; ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. Pharaoh was stubborn And the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’â€? So how do you‌.in your daily life show who is first? How do you ‌by your actions consecrate your life? How do you‌.Dedicate you life? What we say‌.and what we do as part of our daily routine shows who or what is first to us. What we do and say as part of our decision making process shows Who or what is first to us. In how we treat people, in how we manage our resources, in how we spend our time. What is your daily routine?......What part does God play in it? What part does His word play in it? Or would it be transparent others by your daily actions that you are even a Christian? What is your decision making process? What part does God play in it? What part does His word play in it? Or would it be transparent others by your decisions that you are even a Christian? How do you treat people? Is Christ and your faith in Him evident in your actions? Is his name made holy by your God pleasing actions? Or do you by your actions towards others carry His name in vain? How do you manage your resources? Is Christ and your faith in Him evident in your resource management? Do you use God’s resources to love and care for others? Or do you squander His gifts and give Him the leftovers? Christ and your faith in Him is evident in how you spend our time and in your planning & scheduling? Do those around you see a good steward of time showing a balance of worship, prayer, work, and leisure? Or do you‌ by you someone who plays at your worship, worships at your work and works at your play? Even with the best of intentions we many times get it wrong, making our selves first in what we say and do. So what can we do with Moses answer to our child like question ‘What does this mean?’ It means we will fail‌..but we do not stop trying to please God. Knowing that all our actions no matter how worthless, when done seeking to serve Him are made holy and righteous before God by Him. ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. We too were slaves‌‌Slaves to sin‌‌ Christ is the fulfillment of that these Old Testament consecrations point to in His act of love on the cross we are freed from slavery to sin, death and the devil In response to that great gift we are made free to serve him. As part of our daily routine, As part of our decision making process, In how we treat other people, In how we manage our resources, In how we spend our time. So take some time in the beginning of 2010 and act in response to this great gift of Grace from God. Write down some ways that you will seek to serve Him this year and do not make a resolution, prayerfully ask His help as you seek to do His will.

In Christ, Pastor Robert Portier Saint Paul Lutheran Church 1610 Pullen Road, Sevierville 865-429-6023

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http://www.themountainpress.com OR, www.adquest.com All line ads published in The Mountain Press are placed FREE on a searchable network of over 500 newspapers’ classifieds located at http://www.themountainpress.com. WANT TO KNOW WHEN A CLASSIFIED ITEM IS AVAILABLE? Go to http://www.adquest/request/ to register your request and we will notify you by e-mail when it becomes available in the Classifieds.

236 GENERAL

236 GENERAL

Please stop by to fill out application at 3202 Wears Valley Rd. located in the Century 21 office building. No phone calls please.

Local cabin company taking applications for Reservationist, Assistant Manager, and Cleaners. Apply in person at: 333 Ski Mtn. Rd. Gatlinburg.

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236 GENERAL

Associate Account Executive Regional publishing company seeks a f/t sales position. Duties include advertising sales, production and merchandising of area Visitors Guide Magazines and hospitality products. Territory includes the High Country area of NC. Position is ideal for college graduates and serves as training to become an Account Executive . Salary position with benefits. Email resume to jay@vgnet.com

Cove Mountain Resorts has the following positions open: Cabin Cleaner/ Housekeeper This is a contract position which requires applicant to provide their own transportation and vehicle insurance. Hotel/Cabin cleaning experience preferred. Applicant must be self motivated, detail oriented. Reservations Clerk This position requires: Excellent communication skills, experience in the hospitality industry a plus.

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Bring a Smile to the Elderly! Join our team of caring, compassionate and reliable CAREGivers who are dedicated to improving the lives of our community’s senior citizens. We are the trusted source of companionship and nonmedical home care for seniors. No medical experience required. We offer competitive pay and a bonus program. Health insurance and retirement plans available. We offer hours to reflect your schedule, but some weekends, evenings or overnights required. We are looking for dedicated and reliable people to serve in the Sevierville and Gatlinburg areas. To learn more about how you can make a difference, please call our employment line tollfree at 1-877-5815800 or visit us online at www.homeinstead.com/428. SEO Excellent opportunity for creative, motivated Search Engine Optimizer with marketing and web design & development expertise. Must have cutting edge technical skills and relevant experience. FT inhouse position at a luxury cabin rental company. Competitive Pay + Benefits. EOE Send resume to: kcarpenter@timbertops.net or complete application at Timber Tops LLC, 1440 Upper Middle Creek Rd., Sevierville, TN 37876 Telemarketing Give away free classes. Good commission. Don 865-4290750.

Laurel Crest, A Bluegreen Resort, Seeking Full-Time Front Desk Supervisor. Weekends a must. Please apply in person at: Laurel Crest Resort, 2628 Laurel Crest Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN. Willow Brook Lodge is seeking to hire a dependable person to work in our Maintenance Dept. Apply in Person at Willow Brook Lodge 3035 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

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400 Financial

900 Transportation

610 DUPLEX FOR RENT

696 APARTMENTS FOR RENT

2 & 3 BR duplexes for rent in Kodak.

865-932-2613

Spacious 1BR/1BA, Exc. Cond. C H/A. W/D Conn., D/W Vaulted Ceiling, Front porch, Rear patio, Lawn, Trash and City Water Inc. $495 a mon. 7050387 693 ROOMS FOR RENT

Affordable Housing in Gatlinburg

1943 Hutch buffet beveled mirror cherry wood. Unique pieces. 437-8868

436-4471 or 621-2941

Rooms for rent, weekly rates, furn., cable TV, same rent all year.

Moving Sale. Kobler Campbell Piano & living rm furniture. 865-322-5018.

Townhomes Sevierville

1 BR / 1 BA IN SEVIERVILLE $380.00 + DEPOSIT NO PETS 865-712-5238

2 BD / 2BA Very Nice $ 645.00 (incl. water & sewer.)

865-908-6789

! " " # ! "!

Townhouse close to hospital. New carpet. $600 month. Small Pets ok. 865-384-4054 or 865-384-1054

"

!

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN SEVIERVILLE 2 bedroom 1.5 bath townhomes Call 428-5161

2 LG BR, 1.5 BA Private back porch $550/mo.

Call 865-933-9775

453-0727

453-0727

NICE, CLEAN

Sevierville, Apartment

2 new recliners $398 Cagles Furniture & Appliances 2364B Pittman Center Rd.

A-1 pre-owned dryers, washers, ranges & refrigerators All with warranty. Cagles Furniture and Appliances

696 APARTMENTS FOR RENT

for all rentals visit : www.rentalhouseonline.com

Weekly Rentals Includes Phone, Color TV, Wkly Housekeeping Micr./Frig. Available $169.77+ Family Inns West

Pigeon Forge 865-453-4905 •

DOWNTOWN SEVIERVILLE

The World in a Travel Size

428 Park Rd. near trolley stop CHEAP$100 weekly Includes All Utilities. Cable, Laundry, Kitchens, Clean Rooms, NO PETS.

800-359-8913

605 BUSINESS RENTALS 2700 sq ft Office/Warehouse in Sevierville. Heated and Cooled. 256-4809 or 698-6042

Professional office space for rent or lease. 1400 sq ft. For more information call Joanna 865-774-8885 or 1800-586-1494. EOE M/F/H

Looking to rent 1BR in my home located in Wears Valley. 1 person only. $600 mth. Rent on month to month basis only. Background & employment records verified. Call Kathy at 865-776-9344.

Roommate Wanted. $400/mth,1/2 util. Nice house. Refs. 865-774-9118 696 APARTMENTS FOR RENT

2BR 1.5BA Townhouse

Central H/A. All appliances + W/D. Very nice. Great location. PF City Limits. $650/mth + damage dep. No pets. 428-1951 Ask for Ron

Retail shops in The Village shopping center downtown Gatlinburg. 865-4363995 or 803-5950

106 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Call Ty 368-2361

Call. Collect.

Experienced local carpenter Does all types remodeling Additions & Repairs Licensed & Insured

200 Employment

589 FURNITURE

Coplen Construction

McKinney Lawn Service New Years Special

Seasoned Firewood $70 rick delivered and stacked. Hickory Avail.654-8541

care with one, 865-

C B Builders

105 YARD & TREE SERVICES

556 FIREWOOD Firewood for sale. All hardwood. $45 rick. 865-977-8903

308 ELDERLY CARE

106 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

105 YARD & TREE SERVICES

600 Rentals

3BR 2BA Gat. $850 mth. W/D hkup. Kit appl. 865-3862512

For Sale

Daycare in Kodak seeks Infant Caregiver Mon-Fri 16PM. Call 9334850 for more info.

106 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Please visit our website at www.mercy.com to complete an application or to view other employment opportunities.

100 Announcements

in my 865-724-

105 YARD & TREE SERVICES

We are seeking dependable, highly motivated individuals. Excellent beneďŹ ts, Salary commensurate with experience

500 MERCHANDISE

500 Merchandise

NEW YEARS SPECIAL

St. Mary’s is an Equal Opportunity/Section 504 Employer.

Staff Nurse, Emergency Department, Full-time, 10a - 10p (Previous ER experience required)

Five Oaks Riding Stables For Lease in Sevierville. For info call 850-2004

238 HOTEL/MOTEL

USA Today has an independent contractor opening in the Gatlinburg, TN area. We deliver early mornings Mon-Fri. Contractor must have a mini van or covered pick up truck. To apply please call our 24 hour hotline at 1-888854-6475 or email inquiries to usatcarolinas@gmail. com

LPN, Med Surg, Full-time, 7a - 7p

439 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Legals

428-0746

106 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

115 ROOFING SERVICES

106 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

B &W

Professional Painter for hire 1st class guaranteed work. Over 25 yrs. exp.

Phone Sam 865-453-6811

BIG DAD’S Home Service All Types of Home building repairs. Need it Done Call

865-654-7648

or 865-475-7628

117 ELECTRICAL

Kitchens, Bath, Decks,Windows, Doors, Trim, Sheetrock, Painting, Plumbing & Electrical, Vinyl & Laminate Flooring ALL REPAIRS 24 HOUR

865-740-7102 755-0178

111 HOME & OFFICE CLEANING

115 ROOFING SERVICES

House Cleaning s %XPERIENCED s (ONEST s 2ELIABLE Free Estimate. 0LEASE CALL OR 577-1295

Sevier County RooďŹ ng Quality Work s 3HINGLES s -ETAL s 7OOD 3HAKE

FIND HIDDEN CASH Sell your unused household items with....

*Senior Discounts *10 yr Warranty

Free Estimates countyrooďŹ ngcorp.com 865-236-2698

Find BIG Savings... When You Place Your Ad in the Classifieds!

Call

428-0746

CLASSIFIEDS

428-0748

Classifieds ‹ 5B

The Mountain Press ‹ Sunday, January 10, 2010 696 APARTMENTS FOR RENT

1Br Apt in Sevierville. $400 a month. Utilities ncluded. 2564809

BIG BROKER BOB’s REALTY 865-774-5919 SILO APARTMENTS

PIGEON FORGE 2BD/2BA APARTMENT

Classifieds 428-0746

MAKE YOUR POINT!

in Sevierville Offers 1/2 BR Units Pet Friendly

New Center 3BR/2BA Garage, Pet Friendly

Sevierville 5BD/4.5BA Fully furnished, w/hot tub, washer, dryer, etc.

Wears Valley 1BD/1.5BA Pet Friendly

EFFICIENCIES All utilities included

2BR 1BA apt. $595 mth Call 428-1514. 2BR 2BA triplex PF. 2BR apt Sev. No pets. Clean & convenient. 453-5079. 2BR appliances furnished $600 a month. By month or week $500 security 654-7127 or 748-7946 CROSSCREEK 2BR/1.5BA $545 2BR/2BA Large Garden apartment $570.00 to $580.00 865-429-4470 Large 1BR apt 4536758 or 207-5700. McCarter’s Efficiency Apts 221 Newman Rd, $420 month everything except power and phone. Gatlinburg. Call 865-850-2542 or 865-436-5489.

Single size apt. $425 mo. Incl utilities. No pets. Near Dollywood. 621-7897. 697 CONDO RENTALS

Who ya gonna call? If you have a problem with the delivery of your morning Mountain Press, please call the Circulation Department at 428-0746, ext. 239 & 231 Monday - Friday and your paper will be delivered to you on the same day. Newspapers from calls after 10:00 a.m. will be delivered with the next day’s paper. On Saturday, Sunday and holidays you may dial 428-0748 extensions 239 & 231. If complaints are received between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., papers will be delivered the same day. Newspapers from calls received after 10:00 a.m. will be delivered with the next day’s paper. This applies to in-county home delivery only. Sevier County’s Only Daily Newspaper

1 Bedroom condo for rent; includes water, cable and wifi. $695/mo. + deposit. No pets. 9081342

699 HOME RENTALS

OPEN HOUSE

Small 1BR cottage furn. $385 + $200 dep. 680-3078 No pets.

RENT NO MORE! RENTERS, LET YOUR RENT BE YOUR DOWN PAYMENT! ONLY 10 HOMES LEFT

4BR/2BA Furnished. Traffic Light #6 in Pigeon Forge. Credit References and Deposit Required. $1250 mth. 770-983-0698

Small house on Parkway for lease. Great for small business. With living quarters. 8502487.

12 Homes to view

865-453-0086

For Rent 3BR, 2BA house. Pigeon Forge. 573-7997 or 776-4371.

2-3 BR Homes

For Rent: 3BR House. Gatlinburg. Call 436-4748

Peaceful Settings Mountain View

865-933-0504

2BR 2BA Great condition. No pets. Kodak area. $500 mth + $500 dep. 865-397-7140.

2BR 2BA mobile home Central H/A Water & sewer furn. on Hwy 66 near Swaggertys Sausage. 933-5509 or 755-2402

699 HOME RENTALS 1BR cabin Pigeon Forge $650 2BR cabin Pigeon Forge $900 furnished. Pristine Realty 865-4536389 or 865-5562150.

NICE, CLEAN IN KODAK

3 BD / 2 BA 4 MILES FROM EXIT 407 $700/MONTH & DEPOSIT. NO PETS. 865-712-5238, 865-705-9096

3BR 2BA in Red Bud Subdivision. Appliances included. $750 & up + deposit. 428-5212 For Lease 3BD/2.5BA furnished charming 2 acres log cabin home in Seymour, Dog Haven, access to river & private park, Weekly or Monthly Call Owner

865-789-1427

Very Nice Brick Home in River Run Subdivision 3br/2ba with basement garage $900.00 mo. Call 865-933-9775

Nice Homes in Kodak. 2 BR 1 BA $385 2BR 2BA $465 Each has C H/A, deck appliances. No pets.

865-368-6602 3 BR 2 BA house for rent with carport.

Boyds Creek Community 2BR 2BA P.F. Fully furnished condo 7th floor. Spectacular view. 30 ft private balcony. $1050 mth. 1st & last mth 425-9226988 Condo for rent 3BR 2BA, 2 car garage, 1 level, new construction. Downtown Sevierville. $1200 mth + damage deposit. Call Phyllis 455-5821 Gatlinburg Beautiful 2BR 2BA Furnished Condo with Fireplace, Overlooks stocked trout stream and has heated pool. Walk to downtown Gatlinburg, includes water, cable, Flat screen TV. Immediate occupancy, Minimum 1 Year lease $875 mth. 865-771-9600 Pigeon Forge behind Ruby Tuesday 2br 2ba Immaculate. No pets. $700 mth. 1st. last & sec. Call 865-712-8333. Studio Gatlinburg! Furnished, water, cable, electric, wifi. Call 931-239-0777. 698 MOBILE HOME RENTALS

HUD PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

$600 mth $600 damage deposit.

850-5700 2 1/2 acres with 2BR 2BA cabin for rent. First & Last month rent & Damage deposit. Call 865654-9230

New Homes for Rent. 3BR/2BA starting at $700 - $850 & $1000 per month. No pets. 865-850-3874 2BR 1BA Pigeon Forge Carport, deck, private neighborhood, washer/dryer, central h/a. $725 mth. 1st, last & deposit. 1 yr lease. No indoor pets. 865654-4514 328 Ownby St, Gatlinburg; 3 bed 2 bath home, $700 per month with $700 deposit. Tenant application required $35. 423307-1552 3BR 1.5BA Newly renovated. Sevierville. Garage. $950 mth + dep. 654-0222. 3BR 2BA Fully furn. On lake. $850 mth $500 dep. 865654-4003 3BR 2BA house with 2 car attached garage. First & Last month rent & Damage deposit. Call 865-654-9230

Gatlinburg Cobbly Nob 2BR 2BA, $850 per month. 1BR 1BA furnished on creek $700 per month. Fireplace, Cathedral Ceilings, Hot tub and whirl pool tubs. 423487-5020 or 865719-7000 Gatlinburg Glades 3BR 2BA fireplace, jaccuzi. No pets. $900 mth 4284073 Great Location. 2 blocks from WalMart Sevierville 313 Lynn Dr. 3BR 1.5BA home. Immaculate. Laundry room with W/D. Quiet neighborhood, large yard, carport, city water, sewer & garbage pick up, central H/A. 1 year lease. $850 mth. 1st, last & $300 sec. dep. No pets/smoking. Call 429-1335 or 654-6623 Great Pigeon Forge location. 3bd, 1ba home w/FP. $850 monthly + deposit. 1 yr lease. 3859530 House 2BR Close to Sevierville. Sewer & water furnished. C/H. W/D hook up. $600 + dep. No pets. 453-9269 or 382-1966 House for rent off 338 Douglas Dam Rd 3BR 2BA. 1 bedroom is very large. Stove, fridge, dishwasher, yard maintenance & pest control included. $850 mth 1st & last required + $500 damage dep. Absolutely no pets. References needed. Call 865-4284752 Mon-Fri 8-4 Hwy 321 Pittman Center area. 1&2 BR cabin on creek fully furnished Utilities included. $225 & $250 wk 8502487. Large home on lake for lease in Kodak area. Minutes from Exit 407. 4BR 4+ BA, large deck, 2 fireplaces. $2000 per mth. 850-2483 Luxury Home for lease-Short or long term. 4 or 5 bedrooms. 4 full baths. Near Sevierville Events Center $3000 per month. 865-607-2784 or 429-5018 Newport 3BR 1BA unfinished basement. $700 mth $500 dep. 865-696-9993 Sevierville Doublewide 2BR $500 mth + deposit. No pets. Ref. 933-6544 Seymour Hinkle Sub 3BR 2BA $975 mth. + dep. 6801032

All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, family status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. State laws forbid discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-6699777, The Toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

710 HOMES FOR SALE **Home For Sale** Historic Neighborhood in Downtown Sevierville. Close to all schools.710 3BR/1.5 bath. 6547907 **************************

Owner Finance Cobbly Knobb area 3 BR 2 BTH BSMT Rancher. Sits on Webb Creek. Totally remodeled with 2 car garage. Asking $190,000 Call Brackfield & Associates 865-691-8195

721 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Building for lease formerly Creekside Wedding Chapel. Parkway Gatlinburg 850-2004.

Space for lease in climate control storage area. Hwy 321 East Gatlinburg. 850-2487.

722 BUSINESS BUILDINGS

829 MANUFACTURED HOME SALES

16x76 2BR/2BA real nice. Health problems. Must sell. $8000 cash. Call 865-932-5163.

NEW HOME 1900 Sq. Feet 1/2 Acre-Ready Easy- Loan by Phone 865-453-0086

First Time Buyers Your Job is Your Credit New Single Wides & Double Wides CREDIT HOTLINE 865-453-0086

4 office rentals + large garage. S. Blvd Way $249,000. 933-6544

710 HOMES FOR SALE Eagle Creek Landing $139,900 New Construction 3 BR/2BA Single-Level Living Open House Saturday/Sunday Super subdivision in Historic Boyds Creek! Open floor plan, kitchen with all appliances. 2Car garage, and so much more on a level lot. $8,000 tax credit eligible. Ask about our Lease-Purchase Option for qualified buyers. Call Dave @ Wimbledon Properties – 865705-4054 for further information and directions.

Office Space for Rent 119 South Blvd Way. Formerly used as Beauty Shop 933-6544

Mark Our Words: You’ll Find It in the Classifieds! 428-0748

s 3PACIOUS "EDROOMS s 7ASHER $RYER (OOKUPS s #EILING &ANS s &ULLY %QUIPPED +ITCHEN

941 SUV SALES

2005 Chevy Trailblazer LT. 4.2 Liter, 4wd, low miles. $11,995. Call 865-428-3704 950 MOTORCYCLE SALES 1985 Gold Wing. Runs good. New battery. $2500. 865-8094578

s #LUB (OUSE s 3WIMMING 0OOL s -INI "LINDS s 0ETS !SK

2IVER #OUNTRY !PARTMENTS /LD .EWPORT (WY 3EVIERVILLE 4.

-+1 -,

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Sevierville Duplex 2BR 2BA Whirlpool. $650 mo. No pets. References. Tony414-6611

699 HOME RENTALS 4BR 1BA Exit 407 close to I-40. References. $450 mth. 690-2408.

RIVERWALK 1BR/1BA TO 2BR/2BA $545.00 to $695.00 865-429-2962

698 MOBILE HOME RENTALS

B6 ◆ Local

The Mountain Press ◆ Sunday, January 10, 2010

Horse program set

Bank donates school supplies

Submitted

School supply items were donated to Northview Schools on behalf of the employees and customers of Citizens National Bank’s Kodak branch. “We began collecting items such as paper, notebooks, pencils, and hand sanitizer in August,” said Sandy McCarter, assistant vice president and branch manager. “Our customers joined us in the effort to collect as many items as we could to help out the local students in our area.” From left are Angie Elmore and Vickie Harrell from Northview Primary, Erin Ownby and Sandy McCarter from CNB, Northview Primary Principal Missy Wade and Julie Oliver, Northview Middle principal. Not pictured is Kellie Strange from CNB.

4-H in spotlight at Tennessee game Submitted reports 4-H Night at Thompson-Boling Arena is returning on Jan. 17, as the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team takes on Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. This marks a continued partnership between 4-H and the UT Athletics Department.

Demand for electricity high at TVA Submitted reports Plunging temperatures across the Tennessee Valley region have caused the highest demand for electricity so far this winter. “This is the first significant demand period we’ve seen this season,” said TVA Vice President Bob Dalrymple. “Through our nuclear, hydro, fossil and combustion turbine generation fleet and purchased power arrangements, TVA has a diverse portfolio of resources available to reliably meet the need. TVA resources and transmission system have performed extremely well during these challenging conditions.” TVA met a demand of more than 31,300 megawatts on the morning of Jan. 6. Demand is expected to remain high through Jan. 11. The TVA system has a winter capacity of more than 36,000 megawatts of available power and at least 5,000 megawatts of additional reserve power daily. The all-time record winter demand was set on Jan. 16, 2009, at 32,572 megawatts when temperatures across the Tennessee Valley region averaged 9 degrees. The all-time record demand on the TVA power system was 33,482 megawatts on Aug. 16, 2007, when temperatures averaged 102 degrees. TVA is working to reduce peak demand and improve energy efficiency through a number of programs such as TVA’s Home Energy e-Valuation, which will be available in 74 markets this year. TVA is also expanding its Efficiency Advice and Incentives program to help commercial customers reduce their energy use. The goal is to reduce growth in peak demand by up to 1,400 megawatts by 2012, thereby reducing the need for TVA to build more new power plants, which could affect future rates. TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely selffinancing. TVA provides power to large industries and 157 power distributors that serve approximately 9 million consumers in seven southeastern states. TVA also creates economic development opportunities.

Highlights include special recognition at halftime of the Tennessee 4-H program, which is celebrating the centennial (1910-2010) of UT Extension and Tennessee 4-H. 4-H members from all age groups and backgrounds will be highlighted from those in attendance. A limited number of tickets are available for $7 plus a $1.25 han-

dling fee. Tickets include a $3.50 concession voucher for the game. Tickets are available only online at www.groupticketwindow.com/groupticket/college/ TennesseeUniversity/group. Use the following log in and password codes: Login, 4H; password, hoops. For questions, contact Glenn Turner at 453-3695.

Tennessee horse enthusiasts and professionals spend nearly $300 million a year subsidizing their passion. From the idle “yard ornament” some keep on a small acreage to the high-dollar performance horse on the show circuit, Tennessee’s equine population of more than 210,000 is an important driver of the state’s agricultural economy. An increasing number of owners, however, come to the sport, or hobby, with little or no agricultural background. For first-time owners especially, the learning curve in the responsibilities of horse stewardship can be steep. UT Extension has filled the need for education with a new program for horse owners. The Master Horse Owner program targets all horse owners. The program is mainly written for adults, although it is suitable for all ages. The Tennessee Master Horse Owner program is designed to deliver sciencebased information to horse aficionados, from the novice to the professional. The 16-hour training covers the equine industry, health, nutrition,

reproduction, genetics and selection, behavior and training, farm management and business management. A multi-county Master Horse Owner program has been scheduled for March and April in the Sevier County/Knoxville area. Horse owners will be participating in the program from eight surrounding counties. Classes will be held at the University of Tennessee Agriculture Campus starting on March 9. The class will run for the next four Tuesday evenings in March, and on April 3. Cost for this class will be $150. For additional information or to get signed up to participate, contact the Sevier County Extension Office at 453-3695, e-mail to wabruhin@utk.edu. or come by the office at 752 Old Knoxville Highway, Sevierville. — Alan Bruhin is the Sevier County agricultural extension service director. Call him at 4533695.

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